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THE   BOOK   OF 

AMERICAN  MUNICIPALITIES 


WHAT  IS  WHAT 


TN   OUR  CITIES 


An  Authentic  Summary  of  Civic  Progress 
and  Achievements 


ILLUSTRATED 


PUBUSHED  BY 


The  League  of  American  Municipalities 
1907 


P). 


v^-:. -'  ■ 


Entered  accorcHng  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1907, 
by  the 

LEAGUE  OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES. 


in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Consreas, 
at  Washington. 


THE   BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


OF  THE     '^ 

('    "NIVERSITY 


Xeaguc  ot 
Hmerican  /llbunicipaUties 


OFFICERS    ...     1906 -1907 


President,  EDWARD  F.  DUNNE,  Chicago 


Secretary-TrcaMirer,  JOHN  MAC  VICAR,  New  York 


1st  Vice-President,  G.  M.  HINE,  Pouglikeepsie 

2d  Vice-President,  J.  E.  M'CAFFERTY,  Councilman,  Wilmington,  Del. 

3d  Vice-President,  L.  A.  LAPOINTE,  Alderman,  Montreal 

4tli  Vice-President,  SILAS  COOK,  Mayor,  East  St.  Louis 


TRUSTEES 


WM.  J.  HOSEY,  Mayor,  Ft.  Wayne  E.  F.  BRUSH,  Mayor,  Mt.  Vernon,  N.  Y. 

LOUIS  BETZ,  Comptroller,  St.  Paul  C.  O.  LOBECK,  Comptroller,  Omaha 

D.  E.  HEINEMAN,  Councilman,  Detroit  HUGO  S.  GROSSER,  City  Statistician,  Chicago 

W.  H.  ARNETT,  Mayor,  Kokomo,  Ind. 


HONORARY  VICE-PRESIDENTS: 


Alabama— GEORGE  P.  WARD,  Mayor,  Birmingham 
Colorado— ROBERT  W.  SPEER,  Mayor,  Denver 
Canada— EMERSON  COATSWORTH,  Mayor,  Toronto 
Connecticnt-WM.  F.  HENNEY,  Mayor,  Hartford 
California— A.  C.  HARPER,  Mayor,  Los  Angeles 
Delaware— HORACE  L.  WILSON,  Mayor,  Wilmington 
Georgia— JAMES  G.  WOODWARD,  Atlanta 
Illinois— G.  W.  McCASKRIN,  Rock  Island 
Indiana— C.  A.  BOOKWALTER,  Mayor,  Indianapolis 
Iowa— F.  L.  UNTERKIRCHER,  Mayor,  Burlington 
Kansas— J.  A.  KEELER,  Mayor,  Lawrence 
Kentucky— GEORGE  T.  BEACH,  Mayor,  Covington 


Louisiana-MARTIN  BEHRMAN,  Mayor,   New  Orleans 
Maryland— E.  CLAY  TIMANUS,  Baltimore 
Massachusetts— JOHN  F.  FITZGERALD   Mayor,  Boston 
Michigan— W.  W.  TODD,  Mayor,  Jackson 
Minnesota— DAVID  P.  JONES,  Minneapolis 
Mississippi— WM.  G.  BENBROOK,  Mayor,  Natchez 
Missouri-HENRY  M.  BEARDSLEY,  Mayor,  Kansas  City 
Montana— R.  R.  PURSELL,  Mayor,  Helena 
Nebraska— FRANCIS  W.  BROWN,  Mayor,  Lincoln 
New  Jersey— ISAAC  SHOENTHAL,  Mayor,  Orange 
New  York— GEO.   B.  McCLELLAN.   Mayor,  New  York 
North  Dakota— *J.  A.  JOHNSON,  Fargo 


Ohio— BRAND  WHITLOCK,  Mayor,  Toledo 
Oklahoma— J.  W.  DUKE,  Mayor,  Guthrie 
Pennsylvania— JOHN  WEAVER,  Philadelphia 
Rhode  Island— JAMES  M.  HIGGINS,  Mayor,  Pawtucket 
South  Carolina— H.  W.  ERASER,  Mayor,  Georgetown 
Tennessee— JAMES  H.  MALONE,  Mayor,  Memphis 
Texas-T.  J.  POWELL,  Mayor,  Ft.  Worth 
Utah— EZRA  THOMPSON,  Salt  Lake  City 
Virginia— W.  M.  JONES,  Mayor,  Petersburg  ' 

Wisconsin— S.  M.  BECKER,  Mayor,  Milwaukee 
Wyoming— 'J.  B.  McKEE,  Laramie 


*Deceased 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


EDWARD  F.  DUNNE,  President 
Chicago,  Illinois 


JOHN    MAC  VICAR,   Secretary-Treasurer 
New  York  City 


THE  BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


GEORGE   M    HINE,   1st  Vice-President 
Ex-Mayor  Poughkeepsie,  New  York 


J.   E.  M'CAFFERTY,  2d  Vice-President 
Councilman  Wilmington,  Delaware 


L.  A.  LAPOINTE,   3d  Vice-President 
Alderman  Montreal,  Canada 


SILAS   COOK,   4th  Vice-President 
Mayor  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois 


THE   BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


WILLIAM   J.  HOSEY.  Trustee 
Mayor  of  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana 


EDWARD  F.   BRUSH,  Trustee 
Mayor  of  Mount  Vernon,  New  York 


WILL    H.  ARNETT,  Trustee 
Mayor  of  Kokomo,  Indiana 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


HUGO   S.  GROSSER,  Trustee 
City  Statistician,  Chicago,  Illinois 


DAVID  E.    HEINEMAN,  Trustee 
President  City  Council,  Detroit,  Michigan 


LOUIS   BETZ,  Trustee 
City  Comptroller,  St.  Paul,  Minnesota 


C.  O.  LOBECK,  Trustee 
City  Comptroller,  Omaha,  Nebraska 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


®tf^  %m^nt  0f  Ammran  muntrtpalttoa 


The  League  of  American  Municii^alities  came  into  existence  in  1897. 
Its  initial  meeting  was  held  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  October  28th,  29th  and 
30th,  1897,  and  was  attended  by  several  hundred  officials,  among  them 
being  Mayors  Quincy  of  Boston;  Jones,  of  Toledo;  Ashley,  of  New  Bed- 
ford; Saltsman,  of  Erie;  Johnson  of  Fargo;  Pratt,  of  Minneapolis;  Doran, 
of  St.  Paul;  Gibson,  of  Zanesville;  Laagei",  of  Joliet;  Medill,  of  Rock  Island; 
McMurray,  of  Denver;  Pierce,  of  Marshalltown;  Farnsworth,  of  New 
Haven,  and  Todd,  of  Louisville.  Among  the  aldermen  in  attendance 
were  Guggenheimer,  of  New  York  City;  Coots,  of  Detroit;  Steier,  of  Cleve- 
land ;  Collins,  of  Holyoke,  Mass. ;  Lavery,  of  Poughkeepsie,  and  many 
others. 

The  permanent  officers  named  at  the  first  meeting  were  as  follows: 
President^ — John  MacVicar,  Mayor,  Des  Moines;  Vice-President — C.  A. 
Collier,  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  Secretary — B.  F.  Gilkison,  New  York;  Treasurer — 
W.  A.  Black,  Mayor,  Atlanta,  Ga.  Trustees — John  Warner,  Mayor, 
Peoria;  F.  A.  Walker,  President  Council,  Trenton,  N.  J.;  L.  M.  Rand, 
Councilman,  Minneapolis,  Minn.;  C.  M.  Leitch,  Acting  Mayor,  Wilming- 
ton, Del. ;  Geo.  E.  Green,  Binghamton,  N.  Y. 

At  that  meeting  the  constitution  of  the  League  was  adopted,  of  which 
the  first  section  makes  plain  the  object  of  the  organization,  reading  as  fol- 
lows: 

"The  object  of  this  organization,  which  shall  be  known  as  the  League 
of  American  Municipalities,  shall  be  the  general  improvement  and  facili- 
tation of  every  branch  of  municipal  administration  by  the  following  means: 
First,  the  perpetuation  of  the  organization  as  an  agency  for  the  co-opera- 
tion of  American  cities  in  the  practical  study  of  all  questions  pertaining  to 
municipal  administration;  second,  the  holding  of  annual  conventions  for 
the  discussion  of  contemporaneous  municipal  afifairs;  third,  the  establish- 
ment and  maintenance  of  a  central  bureau  of  information  for  the  collec- 
tion and  compilation  and  dissemination  of  statistics,  reports  and  all  kinds 
of  information   relative  to   municipal  government." 

The  membership  of  the  League  is  coinposed  of  three  grades: 

First.  Active  members,  include  all  those  holding  municipal  offices, 
and  representing  cities. 

Second.  Honorary  members,  include  all  those  who  have  held  munici- 
pal office  and  have  been  members  of  the  League. 

Third.  Associate  members,  include  the  editors  of  municipal  journals, 
and  individuals  and  firms  engaged  in  making  municipal  necessities. 


THE   BOOK   OF  AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


Only  active  members  are  entitled  to  vote. 

Most  of  the  important  municipalities  of  the  United  States  and  Canada 
have  enrolled  as  members  of  the  League.  Its  ten  years  of  service  has  proven 
its  worth  to  the  municipal  official.  Whether  he  represents  a  village  or 
a  metropolis,  the  newly-elected  official  finds  embarrassment  in  the  fact 
that  on  very  many  matters  of  importance,  which  he  is  called  upon  to  de- 
termine, he  is  not  well  informed,  and  that  he  has  no  reliable  data  im- 
mediately at  hand  to  enlighten  him.  But  few  cities  maintain  a  department 
of  statistics  for  the  benefit  of  its  officials.  The  League  of  American 
Municipalities  aims  to  supply  to  all  municipalities  this  important  service 
through  the  medium  of  its  bureau  of  information. 

The  League  has  an  official  journal,  the  "Bulletin  of  the  League  of 
American  Municipalities,"  which  is  published  monthly  by  Hon.  John  Mac- 
Vicar,  its  secretary,  and  mailed  to  each  official  and  heads  of  departments 
of  each  city  holding  membership.  From  time  to  time  special  publications 
are  authorized,  and  proceedings  of  the  conventions  are  published  in  book 
form. 

Early  in  1906  the  executive  committee  for  the  first  time  authorized 
the  publication  of  a  souvenir  volume  for  its  Tenth  convention,  which  was 
published  and  edited  by  one  of  the  trustees,  Mr.  Hugo  S.  Grosser,  City 
Statistician  of  Chicago. 

For  the  Eleventh  convention,  at  Norfolk,  the  League  authorized  the 
publication  of  the  present  volume,  "The  Book  of  American  Municipali- 
ties," and  placed  it  directly  under  the  management  of  the  Secretary-Treas- 
urer, Hon.  John  MacVicar,  while  the  editorial  work  was  again  done  by 
Mr.  Grosser.  It  is  expected  that  similar  publications  will  hereafter  be  pub- 
lished by  the  League  regularly  for  every  convention. 

The  following  is  a  roster  of  the  principal  officials  of  the  League  for 
each  year,  and  the  places  where  the  various  conventions  were  held: 

The  first  convention  was  held,  as  stated  above,  at  Columbus,  Ohio. 

Second  convention  held  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  August  1,  2,  3  and  4,  1898. 
Officers  elected:  President — Samuel  L.  Black,  Mayor,  Columbus,  Ohio; 
Secretary — Benjamin  F.  Gilkison,  New  York;  Treasurer — Thomas  P. 
Taylor,  Mayor,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

Third  convention  held  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  September  19,  20,  21  and  22, 
1899.  Officers  elected:  President — Henry  V.  Johnson,  Mayor,  Denver, 
Colo.;  Secretary — Benjamin  F.  Gilkison,  New  York;  Treasurer — Thomas 
P.  Taylor,  ex-Mayor,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

Fourth  convention  held  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  December  12,  13,  14  and 
15,1900.  Officers  elected:  President — J.  A.  Johnson,  Mayor,  Fargo,  N.  D. ; 
Secretary,  John  MacVicar,  ex-Mayor,  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Treasurer — 
Thomas  P.  Taylor,  ex-Mayor,  Bridgeport,  Conn.        * 

Fifth  convention  held  at  Jamestown,   New  York,  August  21,  22,  23 


THE   BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


and  24,  1901.  Officers  elected:  President — Charles  S.  Ashley,  Mayor, 
New  Bedford,  Mass.;  Secretary — John  Mac  Vicar,  Des  Moines,  Iowa; 
Treasurer — Thomas  P.  Taylor,  ex-Mayor,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

Sixth  convention  held  at  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  August  27,  28  and  29, 
1902.  Officers  elected:  President — J.  Adger  Smyth,  Mayor,  Charleston, 
S.  C. ;  Secretary — John  MacVicar,  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Treasurer — Thomas 
P.  Taylor,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

Seventh  convention  held  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  October  7,  8  and  9,  1903. 
Officers  elected:  President — James  M.  Head,  Mayor,  Nashville,  Tenn. ; 
Secretary — John  MacVicar,  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Treasurer — William  D. 
Morgan,  Mayor,  Georgetown,  S.  C. 

Eighth  convention  held  at  East  St.  Eouis,  111.,  October  4,  5  and  6, 
1904.  Officers  elected:  President: — William  C.  Crolius,  Mayor,  Joliet,  111.; 
Secretary — John  MacVicar,  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Treasurer,  William  D. 
Morgan,  Georgetown,  S.  C. 

Ninth  convention  held  at  Toledo,  Ohio,  August  23,  24  and  25,  1905. 
Officers  elected:  President — R.  G.  Rhett,  Mayor,  Charlestown,  S.  C. ;  Sec- 
retary, John  MacVicar,  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Treasurer — William  D.  Mor- 
gan, Mayor,  Georgetown,  S.  C. 

The  Tenth  convention  was  held  at  Chicago,  September  26,  27  and  28, 
1906.  The  following  is  the  full  list  of  officers  and  trustees  elected  at  that 
convention :  President— Edward  F.  Dunne,  Chicago. ;  First  Vice-Presi- 
dent— G.  M.  Hine,  Poughkeepsie;  Second  Vice-President — J.  E.  McCaf- 
ferty,  Councilman,  Wilmington,  Del. ;  Third  Vice-President,  L.  A.  La- 
pointe.  Alderman,  Montreal;  Fourth  A^ice-President — Silas' Cook,  Mayor, 
East  St.  Louis;  Secretary-Treasurer — John  MacVicar,  New  York;  Trus- 
tees— Wm.  J.  Hosey,  Mayor,  Ft.  Wayne;  Louis  Betz,  Comptroller,  St. 
Paul;  D.  E.  Heineman,  Councilman,  Detroit;  E.  F.  Brush,  Mayor,  Mt. 
Vernon,  N.  Y. ;  C.  O.  Lobeck,  Comptroller,  Omaha;  Hugo  S.  Grosser,  City 
Statistician,  Chicago;  W^   LI.  Arnett,  Mayor,  Kokomo,  Ind. 

Norfolk,  Va.,  was  chosen  as  the  meeting  place  of  the  league  in  1907. 


10 


THE  BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


/HE  general  knowledge  of  our  cities  is,  as  a  rule,  confined  to  what  may 
be  occasionally  seen  in  newspapers  or  periodicals;  and  as  these 
organs,  almost  without  exception,  give  publicity  only  to  the  reverse 
side  of  the  picture,  the  American  public  is  exceptionally  well  posted 
on  the  bad  features  of  our  cities  and  their  governments,  while  it 
knows  next  to  nothing  of  the  many  good  traits  of  our  municipalities,  their  enterprise, 
their  progress,  their  development.  It  is  true,  the  federal  government  through  its  Census 
Bureau  in  recent  years  compiles  many  figures  pertaining  to  the  cities,  and  these  are  perhaps 
reprinted  after  a  time  in  some  almanac,  but  they  are  seen  only  by  a  few  directly  interested 
persons  who  look  for  them  and  they  do  neither  convey  a  complete  picture  of  the  city,  nor 
are  they  intended  to  give  a  general  view  of  it.  Hence  the  people  remain  in  blissful 
ignorance  of  what  is  going  on  in  our  urban  communities,  as  no  one  has  as  yet  placed 
before  the  public  a  compendium  wherein  the  doings  of  our  cities  are  duly  chronicled  in 
compact  and  easily  digestible  form.  This  is  done  in  almost  every  European  country  by 
means  of  year-books,  containing  complete  information  of  all  the  cities,  thus  making  a  study 
of  the  subject  easy  and,  therefore,  desirable. 

The  League  of  American  Municipalities  fully  aware  of  the  needs  of  the  people  for 
trustworthy  and  reliable  information  about  our  cities,  and  believing  that  greater  knowledge 
will  kindle  greater  interest  of  the  citizens  in  their  cities,  and  thus  promote  good  government 
and  civic  progress,  presents  this  volume,  "The  Book  of  American  Municipalities,"  to  the 
public  in  general  and  to  the  cities  holding  membership  in  the  League  in  particular.  It  is 
hoped  that  it  will  be  the  forerunner  of  a  regular  year-book  of  American  cities.  The 
attempt  has  been  made  to  show  "what  is  what  in  our  cities;"  to  give  a  sort  of  bird's-eye 
view  of  the  cities,  describing  briefly  their  history,  their  present  condition,  their  improve- 
ments, their  progress,  their  civic  advancement,  and  their  plans  for  future  development. 
It  is  realized  that  this  first  volume  is  far  from  perfection  but  it  is  hoped  that  it  will  never- 
theless be  welcome  as  at  least  a  promise  of  better  things  to  come.  The  book,  incom- 
plete though  it  is,  contains  nothing  but  authentic  data  brought  up  to  the  latest  day.  This 
was  made  possible  only  through  the  cheerful  co-operation  of  the  mayors  of  the  various 
cities,  whose  willing  responses  are  hereby  gratefully  acknowledged.  The  portraits  certainly 
form  one  of  the  pleasing  features  of  the  book  and  it  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  the  photo- 
graphs of  all  the  mayors  could  not  be  obtained  in  time.  The  publication  was  greatly 
helped  along  by  the  public-spirited  business  interests  of  the  country  who.  through  their 
advertisements,  defrayed  the  expense  of  it.  It  will  be  noticed  that  no  objectionable 
advertisement  found  place  on  its  pages,  and  that  nearly  all  the  advertisers  are  firms  dealing 
with  the  cities.    They  are  respectfully  recommended  to  the  consideration  of  all  city  officials. 


11 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


WHAT  IS  WHAT 

An  Authentic  Summary  of  Civic  Progress 
and  Achievements. 

EDITED  FOR  THE 
League  of  American  Municipalities 

By  HUGO  S.  GROSSER. 
Gly  Statistician,  Chicago.                                        -, 

,    »                  * 

THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


N^m  f  nrk 


The  present  City  of  New  York,  Greater  New  York,  the  largest  city  in 
America  and  the  second  largest  in  the  world,  dates  its  legal  existence 
from  the  year  1897,  when  the  legislature  passed  the  Greater  New  York 
charter,  which  was  amended  to  its  present  form  in  1901.  The  old  City 
of  New  York  occupied  mainly  what  is  now  known  as  the  Borough  of  Man- 
hattan. By  the  charter  of  1897  the  limits  of  the  city  were  extended  so 
as  to  include  Kings  county  with  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  a  part  of 
Queens  county  on  Long  Island,  Richmond  county  or  Staten  Island,  an 
additional  area  on  the  mainland,  besides  some  small  islands.  The  name 
of  New  York  was  given  the  city  as  early  as  1664,  when  the  town,  which 
had  been  settled  by  the  Dutch  about  1613,  under  the  name  of  New  Am- 
sterdam, was  surrendered  to  the  British.  In  1700  the  population  of  New 
York  was  6,000. 

Greater  New  York,  as  now  constituted,  is  divided  into  the  Boroughs 
of  Manhattan,  The  Bronx,  Brooklyn,  Queens  and  Richmond.  Its  total 
area  is  326.9  square  miles,  of  which  Manhattan  has  21.93;  Bronx,  40.65; 
Brooklyn,  77.62;  Queens,  129.50;  and  Richmond,  57.19  square  miles.  The 
entire  city  is  divided  into  7Z  wards.  Its  population,  according  to  the  state 
census  of  1905,  was  4,013,781,  and  in  1907  is  estimated  by  the  health  au- 
thorities to  be  4,285,435. 

The  government  of  the  municipality  is  vested  in  a  mayor  and  a  board 
of  aldermen.  At  the  head  of  each  borough  is  a  president  elected 
by  the  citizens.  The  mayor,  who  holds  ofifice  for  four  years,  and  is 
eligible  for  re-election,  appoints  the  heads  of  departments  and  commis- 
sioners, except  those  over  which  the  presidents  of  the  boroughs  have 
jurisdiction,  and  except  also  the  comptroller,  who  is  elected.  The  mayor 
has  the  power  of  veto  over  all  ordinances  and  resolutions  of  the  board 
of  aldermen,  which  can  be  overcome  only  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  mem- 
bers of  that  body,  except  that  when  it  involves  expenditure  of  money,  the 
creation  of  debt,  or  the  levying  of  an  assessment,  a  three-fourths  vote 
is  required.  In  case  of  a  vacancy  in  the  ofifice  of  mayor,  or  when  the 
mayor  is  prevented  from  attending  to  the  duties  of  his  ofifice  by  reason 
of  sickness,  or  absence  from  the  city,  the  president  of  the  board  of  alder- 
men acts  as  mayor.    The  board  of  aldermen  elects  the  city  clerk. 

The  president  of  each  borough  presides  over  each  local  board  in  his 
borough,  with  the  right  to  vote  and  to  veto.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  board  of  aldermen,  and  has  the  same  right  as  any  member  elected  to 
that  body.     The  borough  president  appoints  the  commissioner  of  public 


13 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


GEORGE   B.  McCLELLAN 
Mayor  of  New  York  City 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


works  for  his  borough,  with  control  of  all  matters  relating  to  the  streets 
and  sewers.  He  also  has  control  of  the  public  buildings  in  his  borough, 
except  schools,  hospitals,  penitentiaries,  fire  and  police  stations.  The 
mayor,  comptroller,  president  of  the  board  of  aldermen  and  the  presi- 
dents of  the  boroughs,  constitute  the  board  of  estimate  and  apportion- 
ment. This  board  makes  the  budget  of  the  city  and  passes  on  all  fran- 
chises. 

The  administrative  departments  of  the  city  are:  Department  of 
finance;  law  department;  police  department;  department  of  water  supply, 
gas  and  electricity;  department  of  street  cleaning;  department  of  bridges; 
department  of  parks;  department  of  public  charities;  department  of  cor- 
rection; fire  department;  department  of  taxes  and  assessments;  depart- 
ment of  education;  department  of  health;  tenement  house  department. 
There  is  further  a  board  of  aqueduct  commissioners;  an  armory  board; 
an  art  commission;  a  metropolitan  sewerage  commission;  a  civil  service 
commission ;  board  of  rapid  transit  railroad  commissioners  and  several 
minor  boards  and  bureaux.  There  is  a  full  set  of  county  officials  for  each 
of  the  four  counties  within  the  city. 

It  is  quite  evident  that  an  immense  city  like  New  York  has  to  battle 
with  many  problems  of  which  the  small  city  knows  nothing.  The  most 
serious  problems  of  New  York  are  those  of  its  water  supply  and  passenger 
transportation.  The  city's  water  supply  is  at  present  derived  from  the 
Croton  and  Bronx  rivers,  driven  wells  and  small  streams,  partly  by  grav- 
ity and  partly  by  pumping.  The  water  is  stored  in  immense  reservoirs 
and  brought  into  the  city  by  great  aqueducts.  New  plans  are  constantly 
devised  to  obtain  a  better  and  more  adequate  water  supply.  During  the 
year  1906  the  City  of  New  York  received  the  sum  of  $10,297,568.61  in 
water  rents,  of  which  the  greater  part  goes  into  the  sinking  fund  for  the  re- 
demption of  the  water  debt,  while  the  expense  of  operation  and  mainte- 
nance amounts  to  over  $3,000,000.00  per  annum.  The  water  works  consist 
of  five  plants  and  nearly  1,800  miles  of  mains,  and  cost  $135,000,000.00. 
(All  figures  in  round  numbers  are  approximate  for  the  year  1906. — Ed.) 

For  many  years  the  question  of  rapid  transit  has  engaged  the  atten- 
tion of  New  York.  As  early  as  1875  a  rapid  transit  law  was  passed,  and 
from  time  to  time  commissions  struggled  with  the  subject  without  success, 
until  in  1894  a  plan  was  enacted  according  to  which  the  city  itself  should 
build  and  own  its  rapid  transit  railroads,  but  lease  them  for  operation. 
This  plan  was  approved  by  a  vote  of  the  people  in  1894  and  an  elaborate 
system  of  subways  was  worked  out.  In  January,  1900,  the  first  contract  for 
the  present  subway,  north  of  the  Brooklyn  bridge,  was  awarded,  and  on 
October  27,  1904,  the  first  subway  train  in  New  York  was  run.  Com- 
prehensive plans  embracing  nineteen  different  routes,  and  reaching  every 
borough  of  the  city  except   Richmond,  were  completed  and  toward  the 


15 


THE   BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


end  of  1906  received  the  necessary  constitutional  consents.  The  total 
amount  expended  by  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners, 
until  December  31,  1906,  was  $52,369  549.27. 

There  are  now  22  miles  of  subway  in  operation.  Surveys  have  been 
made  for  165  miles  of  new  underground  routes,  to  cost  the  sum  of 
$300,000,000.00. 

The  sewerage  system  has  1,600  miles  of  sewers.  The  bulk  of  the 
sewage  is  discharged  in  a  crude  state  into  tidewater. 

The  streets  of  New  York  have  a  total  length  of  2,600  miles,  of  which 
700  miles  remain  unpaved,  while  500  miles  are  paved  with  asphalt ;  500 
miles  with  granite;  800  miles  with  macadam  and  the  remaining  100  miles 
with  different  materials.  There  are  1,350  miles  of  single  street  railway 
track.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  15,000  electric  lights,  40,000  gas  lights 
and  5,000  vapor  lights,  or  a  total  of  60,000  lights.  Street  cleaning  is  done 
mostly  by  day  labor  and  partly  by  contract  work.  More  than  5,000  per- 
sons are  employed  in  cleaning  and  sprinkling  the  streets.  The  dirt  is 
thrown  into  the  ocean.  Garbage  is  collected  by  day  labor  and  is  mostly 
treated  by  reduction.  About  300,000  tons  are  disposed  of  in  this  manner, 
while  2,300,000  tons  of  ashes  and  200,000  tons  of  other  refuse  have  to  be 
taken  care  of  otherwise.  The  total  annual  cost  of  the  street  cleaning 
department  is  $6,000,000.00. 

The  death  rate  of  New  York  varies  between  18  and  20  per  thousand, 
about  70,000  deaths  occurring  annually.  New  York  maintains  18  hos- 
pitals, in  which  75,000  patients  are  treated  each  year,  and  three  alms- 
houses, with  4,000  inmates.  The  expenditures  of  the  Department  of 
Health  amount  to  $1,500,000  per  annum,  in  addition  to  $500,000  by  the 
Tenement  House  Department,  while  for  the  maintenance  of  the  hospitals, 
for  the  poor  institutions,  for  outdoor  poor  relief,  the  care  of  children  and 
similar  charitable  purposes,  the  sum  of  $6,000,000  is  spent  annually.  For 
purposes  of  recreation,  parks,  playgrounds,  baths,  bathing  beaches,  etc., 
the  expenditures  run  up  to  $2,000,000.00. 

The  police  department  is  in  charge  of  a  commissioner  appointed  by  the 
mayor.  A  recently  enacted  new  police  law  increases  the  commissioner's 
power  over  the  chief  officials  and  the  detective  service,  by  making  these 
temporary  assignments  instead  of  permanent  posts. 

The  police  force  consists  of  9,000  members,  and  costs  the  citizens 
of  New  York  $12,000,000.00.  The  total  number  of  arrests  is  almost  200,- 
000  per  annum.  There  are  10,600  saloons  in  the  city,  which  pay  an  an- 
nual license  of  $1,200.00  each,  of  this  the  city  gets  one-half  and  the  state 
the  other.  The  fire  department  consists  of  3,000  members,  and  its  annual 
cost  amounts  to  $6,000,000.  The  City  of  New  York  expends  $25,000,000.00 
for  educational  purposes.  There  are  500  school  buildings,  with  an  average 
daily  attendance  of  nearly  600,000  pupils,  who  are  taught  by  15,000 
teachers. 


16 


THE  BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


The  total  expense  of  the  city  government  for  the  year  1906  amounted 
to  $83,145,807.80.  This  includes  merely  the  expenditures  for  maintenance 
and  operation  of  the  various  departments.  Besides  this  sum,  there  was 
spent  in  public  undertakings  the  sum  of  $76,637,840.91 ;  for  interest  on 
the  city's  debt,  $19,038,302.77;  for  redemption  of  the  city's  debt,  $128,042,- 
569.41 ;  for  state  tax,  $903,632.69;  and  for  sundries,  $871,149.15,  making  the 
grand  total  expenditures  of  the  city  for  year  $308,639,302.73.  To  take 
care  of  this  vast  expense  the  city  received  a  total  of  $309,052,875.04  from 
the  following  sources: 

Taxes $  83,693,797.53 

Assessments   5,460,968.66 

Water  rents 10,297,568.61 

Miscellaneous  revenue 25,308,561.55 

Sundries,  such  as  interest,  etc 480,092.87 

From  bonds  issued 183,811,885.82 

The  bonded  indebtedness  of  Greater  New  York  on  December  31. 
1906,  amounted  to  $665,700,092.06,  against  which  sinking  funds  held 
$191,144,186.94,  leaving  a  net  bonded  indebtedness  of  $474,555,905.12,  to 
which  must  be  added  a  temporary  indebtedness,  such  as  tax  loans,  etc.,  of 
$51,109,270.00.  The  tax  rate  for  all  purposes  varied  from  1.478  to  1.554 
in  the  different  boroughs.  The  assessed  value  of  all  property  in  Greater 
New  York  in  1906  amounted  to  $6,305,794,185.00,  'of  which 
$5,738,487,245.00  was  real  estate  and  $567,306,940.00  personal  prop- 
erty. To  this  must  be  added  a  real  estate  value  of  not  less  than 
$1,149,098,192.00,  which  is  exempt  from  taxation.  Of  this  vast  amount 
about  $765,000,000.00  belongs  to  the  city ;  $62,000,000.00  to  the  United 
States;  $2,000,000.00  to  the  state;  $120,000,000.00  to  the  churches; 
$44,000,000.00  to  educational  institutions ;  $53,000,000.00  to  charitable  in- 
stitutions; over  $5,000,000.00  to  libraries;  and  about  $31,000,000.00  to 
cemeteries. 

The  present  city  officials  who  are  elected  by  the  people,  and  whose 
terms  of  office  end  December  31,  1909,  are  as  follows:  Mayor,  George  B. 
McClellan;  president  of  the  board  of  aldermen,  Patrick  F.  McGowan;  comp- 
troller, Herman  A.  Metz;  president  of  the  Borough  of  Manhattan,  John  F. 
Ahearn ;  president  of  the  Borough  of  The  Bronx,  Louis  F.  Hafifen ;  presi- 
dent of  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn,  Bird  S.  Coler;  president  of  the  Borough 
of  Queens,  Joseph  Bermel ;  president  of  the  Borough  of  Richmond,  George 
Cromwell. 


17 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


7RED.  A.  BUSSE 
Mayor  of  Chicago,  Illinois 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  City  of  Chicago  obtained  its  first  charter  March  11,  1837,  after 
having  been  in  existence  as  a  town  since  1833.  The  year  1830,  when  the 
first  plat  of  the  town  was  filed,  must  be  taken  as  the  official  date  of  the 
founding  of  Chicago,  now  the  second  largest  city  in  the  United  States  and 
the  fourth  largest  in  the  world. 

"Chicago  is  working  at  present  under  the  general  law  for  the  incorpo- 
ration of  cities  and  villages,  which  was  adopted  by  the  city  in  1875,  and  is 
governed  by  the  mayor  and  the  city  council,  composed  of  70  members, 
each  elected  for  two  years. 

A  charter  convention  was  convened  late  in  1905,  and  after  a  year's 
labor  worked  out  a  complete  charter  for  Chicago,  which,  having  been 
passed  by  the  legislature  in  May,  1907,  is  to  be  voted  upon  by  the  people 
of  Chicago  in  a  special  election  to  be  held  September  17,  1907.  If  adopted 
the  City  of  Chicago  will  have  "powers  of  local  legislation  adequate  to  a 
complete  system  of  local  municipal  government,"  instead  of  having,  as 
at  present,  only  such  powers  as  are  expressly  enumerated. 

In  1905  the  legislature  passed  a  law  lengthening  the  term  of  the 
mayor  to  four  years  instead  of  two,  as  heretofore,  and  the  first  election 
under  the  new  act  was  held  April  7,  1907,  in  which  Honorable  Fred  A. 
Busse  was  elected  the  first  four-year  mayor  of  Chicago. 

The  principal  departments  of  the  city  government  are:  Department 
of  law;  department  of  finance;  department  of  public  works,  having  charge 
of  bureaux  of  water,  streets,  sewers,  engineering,  bridges,  maps,  city  hall; 
department  of  police;  department  of  fire;  department  of  health;  department 
of  building;  department  of  supplies;  department  of  inspection;  depart- 
ment of  weights  and  measures;  department  of  track  elevation;  board  of 
local  improvements;  civil  service  commission;  board  of  education  and  li- 
brary board.  The  heads  of  the  departments  and  the  members  of  the  vari- 
ous boards  are  appointed  by  the  mayor,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  coun- 
cil. The  parks  of  the  city  are  under  three  dififerent  park  commissions; 
each  system  forms  a  municipality  by  itself  with  power  to  levy  taxes;  the 
commissioners  are  appointed  by  the  governor  of  the  state  for  the  West 
Park  commission  and  the  Lincoln  Park  commission,  while  the  South  Park 
commissioners  are  appointed  by  the  judges  of  Cook  County.  There  is 
further  a  special  park  commission,  composed  of  aldermen  and  private  citi- 
zens, serving  without  salary,  which  is  in  charge  of  the  pmall  parks,  play- 
grounds and  bathing  beaches,  except  those  situated  within  the  regular 
park  districts. 


THE   BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


I 


I 


Chicago's  water  suppl}'  is  derived  from  Lake  Michigan,  brought  to 
land  by  a  number  of  huge  tunnels,  which  on  the  water  side  are  ending 
in  cribs,  while  on  the  land  side  they  are  connected  with  pumping  works, 
from  where  the  water  is  conveyed  into  the  houses  by  direct  pumping. 
There  are  in  all  five  such  cribs  and  eleven  pumping  stations  and  2,075.50 
miles  of  water  piping  in  service.  The  only  private  water  plant  in  exist- 
ence, in  Rogers  Park,  the  extreme  northern  part  of  the  city,  was  pur- 
chased by  the  city  in  August,  1907,  for  $300,000.00.  In  1906  the  average 
daily  pumpage  amounted  to  436,954,473  gallons,  or  204  gallons  per  capita 
of  the  population.  The  water  works  were  operated  and  maintained  at 
an  expense  of  $2,060,249.12,  and  $3,385,674.04  were  spent  in  the  exten- 
sion of  the  works,  new  land  tunnels,  cribs,  etc.,  while  the  entire  revenue 
from  water  amounted  to  $4,520,979.60  during  the  last  year. 

The  sewerage  system  of  the  city  was  enlarged  during  the  year  by 
the  building  of- 42.86  miles  of  sewers  and  11,280  house  drains,  and  on  Jan- 
uary 1,  1907,  the  system  contained  1,673  miles  of  sewers,  not  including  in- 
tercepting sewers,  and  232,666  house  drains.  The  sewage  flows  in  a  crude 
state  into  a  system  of  huge  intercepting  sewers,  through  which  it  is  car- 
ried into  the  drainage  canal  and  thence  by  .the  Illinois  river  into  the  Mis- 
sissippi. The  intercepting  sewer  system  is  not  yet  entirely  completed, 
and  part  of  the  sewage  in  the  extreme  southern  and  extreme  northern 
parts  of  the  city  still  flows  into  the  lake.  The  expenditure  for  main- 
taining the  sewerage  system  in  1906  was  $307,407.95. 

The  area  of  the  city  is  190.638  square  miles,  and  by  the  Chicago  river 
and  its  branches  is  divided  into  three  principal  parts,  popularly  known  as 
the  North  Side,  the  West  Side  and  the  South  Side,  and  35  wards.  Its 
population  on  July  1,  1907,  was,  according  to  the  estimate  of  the  Chicago 
Bureau  of  Statistics,  2,483,641.  The  total  mileage  of  streets  and  alleys  in 
the  city  is  4,226.87,  of  which,  on  January  1,  1907,  2,682.10  miles  were  un- 
improved and  1,544.77  miles  were  improved.  Of  these,  321.25  miles  were 
paved  with  asphalt,  529.27  with  macadam,  538.94  with  cedar  blocks,  92.05 
with  brick,  50.99  miles  with  granite  and  the  balance  with  various  ma- 
terials. 

The  river  is  crossed  by  64  bridges,  of  which  15  are  fixed  spans,  while, 
of  the  49  movable  bridges,  18  are  bascule  bridges;  one  is  a  vertical  lift 
bridge  and  the  balance  swing  bridges..  Of  the  movable  bridges,  27  are 
operated  by  electricity,  three  by  steam  and  the  remainder  by  hand  power. 
The  division  of  bridges  has  also  under  its  supervision  35  systems  of  via- 
ducts. The  total  expenditure  for  maintenance  and  operation  of  bridges 
and  viaducts  in  1906  was  $249,910.33. 

The  streets  of  Chicago  are  cleaned,  and  the  garbage  collected,  by 
direct  day  labor.  Until  recently  garbage  was  disposed  of  by  dump- 
ing.    In  November,   1906,  the  city  entered  into  a  contract  with  the  Chi- 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


cago  Reduction  Company  to  deliver  pure  garbage  at  its  rendering  plant. 
During  the  last  eight  weeks  of  1906  3,338  tons  of  pure  garbage  were  so 
delivered,  while  during  the  first  six  months  of  1907,  28,190  tons  were  de- 
livered. During  the  entire  year  the  bureau  of  street  and  alley  cleaning 
removed  153,571  loads  of  street  dirt  at  an  average  cost  of$2.45  per  load,  or  a 
total  of  $377,282.34,  and  292,474  loads  of  garbage  at  an  average  cost  per 
load  of  $2.48,  or  a  total  expenditure  of  $726,899.53. 

The  streets  of  the  city,  on  January  1,  1907,  were  lighted  by  7,560 
electric  lights,  of  which  6,761  were  operated  by  the  city  at  a  cost  of  $52.39 
per  light  per  year,  while  for  797  rented  lights  $90.00  per  light  was  paid. 
There  were  further  23,650  gas  lights  and  6,311  vapor  lights,  or  a  total  of 
37,521  lights,  with  an  average  daily  candle  power  of  16,460,460.  The 
total  cost  of  lighting  the  city  for  1906  was  $957,325.54. 

Chicago  claims  to  be  one  of  the  healthiest  among  the  large  cities  of 
the  world.  Its  death  rate  varies  from  13  to  15,  and  for  1906  was  14.18, 
with  a  total  of  29,048  deaths.  There  are  under  the  supervision  of  the 
health  department  12  public  baths,  which,  in  1906,  were  attended  by 
825,315  persons.  The  total  expense  of  the  department  for  last  year  was 
$329,379.46.  The  hospitals,  with  th^  exception  of  an  isolation  hospital, 
are  under  the  administration   of  the  county  government. 

The  police  department  on  January  1,  1907,  had  a  force  of  3,578  offi- 
cers, during  the  year  made  78,790  arrests,  and  was  operated  at  a  total  ex- 
pense of  $4,071,202.36.  The  city  at  present  has  7,225  saloons,  each  paying 
a  license  of  $1,000  per  year.  In  1906  the  city  derived  a  revenue  from  that 
source  of  $8,497,128.97.  The  fire  department,  numbering  1,545  uniformed 
members,  attended  to  6,291  fires.  Its  cost  was  $2,193,537.00.  The  city 
has  260  public  schools,  with  an  average  daily  attendance  for  the  last  school 
year  of  225,792  pupils,  who  were  taught  by  6,034  teachers  in  5,396  school 

.rooms  at  a  total  expenditure  of  $7,976,269.72,  while  $3,935,401.50  was  ex- 
pended for  school  buildings  and  sites. 

Chicago  has  an  extensive  park  system,  and  one  of  the  greatest  boule- 
vard systems  in  the  world.  The  total  park  area  is  3,180  acres.  The  South 
Park  commission  operates  10  small  parks  of  from  10  to  40  acres  in  area, 
each  of  which  is  equipped  with  shower  baths,  wading  and  swimming- 
pools,  outdoor  and  indoor  gymnasiums,  playgrounds  and  other  facilities 
for  recreation.  Four  more  of  these  small  parks  are  building  at  present, 
and  six  others  are  being  contemplated  in  the  near  future.  The  West 
Park  commissioners  and  the  Lincoln  Park  commissioners  have  just  begun 

■  to  establish  a  number  of  these  playgrounds  also.  Besides  these  parks, 
the  Small  Parks  Commission  operates  10  municipal  playgrounds,  which, 
in  1906,  were  attended  by  1,561,757  children,  and  three  bathing  beaches 
which  are  open  about  three  months  of  the  year,  and  las^  year  were  attended 
by  478,050  persons. 


21 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  total  expenditure  of  the  City  of  Chicago  for  all  purposes  during 
the  year  1906  was  $39,340,389.29,  and,  in  addition  to  that,  about 
$3,500,000.00  for  park  purposes.  Of  this  total  $8,451,418.96  were  outlays 
for  improvement,  while  the  parks  spent  about  $1,100,000.00  for  that  pur- 
pose. The  total  revenue  of  the  city,  not  including  parks,  was 
$40,353,124.23  from  the  following  sources: 

Tax  levy,  1906 $17,421,380.89 

Special  assessments 4,814,186.18 

Water  rents 4,520,979.60 

Miscellaneous  revenue 12,196,577.56 

Bonds  sold 1,400,000.00 

To  this  must  be  added  the  revenue  of  the  parks  from  taxes,  bonds 
and  miscellaneous  receipts,  amounting  to  a  total  of  about  $5,800,000.00. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property  within  the  City  of  Chicago, 
equal  to  one-fifth  of  the  full  valuation,  was  $426,263,296.00  in  1906,  of 
which  $303,033,228.00  is  for  real  estate  and  the  balance  for  personal  prop- 
erty, capital  stock  and  railroad  property.  The  total  average  tax  rate 
within  the  city  for  all  purposes,  including  state,  county  and  sanitary  dis- 
tricts taxes,  was  $6.67,  or  a  little  over  $1.33  on  full  value.  The 
total  amount  of  taxes  levied  for  all  purposes  was  $28,451,436.78.  The  bond- 
ed indebtedness  of  the  city  on  January  1,  1907,  was  $25,555,000.00.  To  this 
must  be  added  the  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  various  park  systems, 
amounting  to  $10,535,000.  The  sanitary  district,  95  per  cent  of  which  is 
within  the  city,  has  a  bonded  indebtedness  of  $17,030,000.00. 

The  most  important  development  in  the  history  of  Chicago  during 
the  last  year  was  the  final  settlement  of  the  traction  question,  which  had 
occupied  the  public  mind  for  a  period  of  ten  years.  After  the  people  of 
Chicago  in  several  elections  had  declared  in  favor  of  municipal  owner- 
ship, the  city  council  in  January,  1907,  passed  an  ordinance  granting  a  re- 
newal of  their  franchise  to  the  street  railway  companies,  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  people.  In  the  April  election  this  ordinance  was  approved 
by  a  vote  of  165,846  for  and  132,720  against.  Under  the  terms  of  the 
franchise  the  companies  are  compelled  to  completely  rehabilitate  the  trac- 
tion system,  under  supervision  of  a  board  of  engineers  chosen  by  the  city 
and  the  companies.  This  rehabilitation,  for  which  the  sum  of  about 
$50,000,000.00  will  have  to  be  spent,  must  be  completed  within  three  years. 
The  net  profits  from  the  operation  of  the  railways  are  divided  between  the 
city  and  the  companies,  the  city  receiving  55  per  cent  and  the  companies 
45  per  cent  thereof.  The  fare  remains  five  cents,  with  the  provision  that  . 
only  one  fare  can  be  charged  from  one  end  of  the  city  to  the  other. 

The  present  officials  of  the  City  of  Chicago,  -elected  by  the  people, 
are:  Mayor,  Fred  A.  Busse,  term  expires  April  4,  1911;  city  clerk,  John 
R.  McCabe;  and  city  treasurer,  John  E.  Traeger;  the  terms  of  the  latter 
two  expiring  April  6,  1909. 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


flftlab^lpl|ia 


The  city  of  Philadelphia,  the  third  largest  in  the  United  States, 
was  founded  in  1681  by  William  Penn,  who  granted  it  the  first  city  charter 
in  1701.  This  was  altered  in  1789  by  an  act  creating  a  city  government, 
which  remained  almost  unchanged  until  1854,  when  the  city  was  made 
co-extensive  with  the  county,  absorbing  the  outlying  districts  and  bor- 
oughs. In  1885  the  "Bullitt  Bill"  was  passed,  giving  the  city  a  new  char- 
ter, under  which  it  is  working  at  present.  Under  it  the  city  government  is 
vested  in  a  mayor  and  in  a  select  and  a  common  council.  The  mayor  is 
elected  for  a  term  of  four  years;  the  members  of  the  select  council,  one 
for  each  of  the  46  wards,  for  three  years,  and  those  of  the  common  council, 
numbering  79,  for  two  years.  Each  ward  is  entitled  to  one  member  of  the 
common  council  for  every  4,000  votes.  The  mayor  has  the  power  of  veto 
and  appoints  the  heads  of  the  departments  of  public  safety,  public  works, 
supplies,  public  health  and  charities,  and  the  civil  service  commissioners.  The 
heads  of  departments  appoint  all  bureau  heads,  subject  to  confirmation  by 
the  select  council.  Other  city  officials,  elected  by  the  people,  are:  a  comp- 
troller, a  treasurer,  a  receiver  of  taxes,  a  solicitor,  and  three  city  commis- 
sioners. The  board  of  education,  consisting  of  twenty-one  members,  and  the 
park  commission,  of  ten  members,  are  appointed  by  the  judges  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas.  The  city  has  an  area  of  129.58  square  miles,  which  is 
divided  into  forty-six  wards;  its  population  in  1906  was  estimated  to  be 
1,441,735. 

Philadelphia's  water  supply  is  taken  from  the  Schuylkill  and  Dela- 
ware rivers  by  pumping.  The  water  works  were  built  as  early  as  1801  and 
cost  over  $48,000,000.00.  345,000,000  gallons  of  water  are  being 
pumped  per  day  and  dist<ributed  through  1,450  miles  of  mains.  The 
city  owns  large  water  purification  works;  slow  sand  filtration  is  the  process 
for  nearly  the  entire  city  with  mechanical  filtration  for  the  balance.  The 
total  expense  of  the  water  works  in  1906  was  $1,575,985.21  and  of  the  fil- 
tration works  $1,455,560.16,  including  improvements.  The  sewage  is 
discharged  in  a  crude  state  into  the  rivers  through  1,060  miles  of  sewers. 

Philadelphia  has  1,270  miles  of  paved  and  475  miles  of  unpaved  streets; 
400  miles  are  paved  with  asphalt;  380  miles  with  granite;  280  miles  with 
macadam;  150  miles  with  brick  and  60  miles  with  cobblestone.  Street 
cleaning  is  done  by  contract,  the  dirt  being  hauled  outside  of  the  city's 
limits.  The  city  pays  for  the  sprinkling  of  the  streets.  Garbage  is  dis- 
posed of  by  the  reduction  process.  The  total  cost  of  the  bureau  of  street 
cleaning   for   all    purposes   in    1906    was  $1,273,282.61.     The   streets   are 


23 


THE    BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


lighted  by  11,614  arc  lights;  22,033  gas  lights  and  14,438  vapor  lights  at 
a  total  cost,  including  improvements,  of  $1,776,364.39.  The  city  owns  its 
own  gas  works,  which  were  built  in  1836,  and  cost  $40,000,000.00,  but  are 
leased  to,  and  operated  by,  the  United  Gas  Improvement  Company 
which,  in  1906,  paid  the  city  $707,528.14.  Philadelphia  has  a  death  rate  of 
17.25  per  thousand,  with  25,000  deaths  per  year.  Two  hospitals  for  con- 
tagious diseases  are  maintained  where  16,000  patients  are  treated  each 
year.  The  bureau  of  health  spent  $273,084.93  while  the  total  expendi- 
tures of  the  department  of  health  and  charities  were  $1,022,298.56.  The 
police  department  numbers  2,972  men,  the  total  number  of  arrests  made 
was  85,000.  The  total  expense  of  the  police  in  1906  was  $3,093,349.33. 
There  are  1,814  saloons  in  the  city  paying  each  a  license  of  $1,100.00, 
of  which  $100.00  goes  to  the  state  and  $1,000  to  the  city.  The  city, 
in  1906,  received  from  this  source  $1,888,357.50.  The  fire  department  has 
895  uniformed  men  with  an  expense  for  operation  and  maintenance  of  $1,- 
155,023.97.  Philadelphia  has  250  schools  with  an  average  daily  attendance 
of  146,000  pupils,  taught  by  4,380  teachers,  at  a  total  expense,  including  im- 
provements, of  $5,816,203.49.  For  park  purposes  the  city  spent  $712,547.91 ; 
the  park  area  is  4,176  acres,  of  which  Fairmount  Park  contains  3,341  acres, 
being  the  largest  pleasure  ground  in  the  world.  The  total  expenditures  of 
the  city  in  1906  were  $33,505,503.96,  of  which  $26,918,170.00  represents  the 
cost  of  all  departments,  including  improvements;  the  balance,  payments  to 
sinking  funds  and  redemption  of  the  city  debt.  The  receipts  of  the  city  were 
$32,425,678.55,  of  which  $17,313,399.31  was  from  taxes.  The  bonded  in- 
debtedness of  the  city  on  January  1,  1907,  was  $66,622,720.00,  against 
which  the  sinking  funds  held  $6,811,  500.00.  The  assessed  valuation  of  all 
property  in   1906  was  $1,250,688,286.00,  and  the  tax  rate  $1.50. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Philadelphia,  elected  by  the  people,  and  the 
time  when  their  term  of  office  ends,  are:  John  E.  Reyburn,  mayor,  April, 
1911;  John  M.  Walton,  comptroller,  January,  1908;  John  L.  Kinsey,  solici- 
tor, April,  1908;  R.  R.  Bringhurst,  treasurer,  January,  1910;  Hugh  Black, 
receiver  of  taxes,  April,  1910;  Rudolph  Blankenburg,  Howard  A.  Chase, 
Charles  P.  Donnelly,  city  commissioners,  January,  1909. 


i 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


^atnt  ICnms 


Saint  Louis,  the  chief  city  of  Missouri,  is  the  fourth  city  in  the  United 
States  in  population  and  the  commercial  metropolis  of  the  Mississippi  val- 
ley. It  was  settled  in  1764  when  Pierre  Laclede  Ligueste  established  a 
trading  post  for  furs.  Saint  Louis  received  its  first  charter  in  1822.  In 
1877  the  city  obtained  its  present  charter,  several  times  amended  since. 
The  government  rests  in  the  hands  of  the  mayor  and  a  bicameral  council, 
of  which  the  house  of  delegates,  or  lower  house,  is  composed  of  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  various  wards,  while  the  members  of  the  council,  or  the 
upper  house,  represent  the  city  in  general.  The  heads  of  the  more  import- 
ant departments  are  chosen  by  popular  vote,  while  the  mayor  appoints 
only  the  heads  of  the  minor  departments.  The  police  is  under  control  of 
the  governor  of  the  state,  exercised  through  commissioners  appointed  by 
liim.  The  school  board  also  is  elected  by  the  people  and  independent  of 
the  mayor.  The  city  has  an  area  of  61.36  square  miles,  and  is  divided  into 
twenty-eight  wards.     Its  population  in  1907  is  estimated  at  700,000. 

The  water  supply  of  Saint  Louis  is  taken  from  the  Mississippi  river 
and  is  clarified  by  sedimentation,  and  purified.  The  water  works  system 
cost  $25,000,000.00.  The  reservoirs  have  a  storage  capacity  of  300,000,000 
gallons,  and  the  water  is  distributed  through  770  miles  of  mains.  The 
consumption  averages  69,012,000  gallons  daily.  The  cost  of  operation  and 
maintenance  for  the-years  1906-07  was  $864,667.98. 

The  sewerage  system  contains  611.58  miles  of  sewers,  from  which  the 
sewage  is  discharged  in  a  crude  state  into  the  Mississippi  river  below  the 
pumping  stations.  There  are  901  miles  of  streets  and  330  miles  of  alleys, 
of  which  523  miles  of  streets  and  130  miles  of  alleys  are  paved.  The  pave- 
ments are:  asphalt,  45.52  miles;  vitrified  brick,  96.47  miles;  granite  blocks, 
63.48  miles;  bitulithic,  24.40  miles;  common  telford,  72  miles;  macadam, 
220  miles;  and  the  balance,  different  materials.  The  streets  are  lighted 
by  gas  and  electricity  at  a  cost  for  last  year  of  $601,014.67.  Street  clean- 
ing is  done  by  day  labor;  garbage  collection  by  contract,  the  garbage  being 
disposed  of  by  reduction.  The  expenditures  for  street  cleaning  for  1906- 
1907  were  $793,306.13,  with  an  additional  $158,792.33  for  sprinkling  and 
$250,071.22   for  garbage   removal  and  reduction. 

The  police  force  of  Saint  Louis  numbers  1,350  men,  making  nearly 
30,000  arrests  per  annum,  the  expenses  of  the  department  being 
$1,668,918,-66.  There  are  over  3,000  saloons  in  the  city,  paying  a  license 
fee  of  $500.00  to  the  city  and  $100.00  to  the  state,  't'he  fire  department, 
numbering  600  men,  cost  $1,052,976.13.     The  annual  death  rate  of  Saint 


25 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


JOHN   F.  FITZGERALD 
Mayor  o(  Boston,  Maisacbusetu 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Louis  averages  14.50;  the  maintenance  of  the  health  department  cost 
$127,699.33,  with  an  additional  $139,750.65  for  the  city  hospital.  Saint 
Louis'  park  system  has  an  area  of  2,268  acres.  Forest  Park,  the  largest 
of  the  parks,  comprises  1,370  acres;  Tower  Grove  Park,  276  acres.  The 
total  cost  of  maintaining  the  parks  is  nearly  $200,000.00  per  annum. 
Saint  Louis  owns  135  school  buildings,  and  at  the  close  of  the  school  year 
1906,  the  number  of  children  of  school  age  in  the  city  was  about  200,000. 
Eighty-five  thousand  are  enrolled  in  the  public  schools,  which  have  a  daily 
average  attendance  of  66,000  pupils,  who  are  taught  by  2,090  teachers  at 
an  expense  of  nearly  $2,500,000.00.  The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  for 
1906-1907,  not  including  schools,  were  $11,947,907.48;  the  receipts  were 
$12,024,991.71,  of  which  $6,208,482.15  were  from  taxes;  $144,171.19  from 
street  sprinkling  special  taxes;  $854,103.95  from  miscellaneous  licenses; 
$1,254,750.00  from  liquor  licenses;  $1,740,260.53  from  water  rents; 
$164,763.77  from  interest  on  city  current  deposits.  The  assessed  valua- 
tion of  property,  equal  to  about  two-thirds  of  the  cash  value,  in  1906  was 
$497,348,175.00.  The  tax  rate  for  city  purposes  was  $13.80;  for  schools 
$5.50;  for  the  state,  $1.70,  or  a  total  of  $21.00.  The  total  bonded  indebted- 
ness on  April  1,  1907,  was  $20,790,278.30,  against  which  the  sinking  funds 
held  $845,219.48. 

The  principal  officials  of  the  City  of  Saint  Louis,  elected  by  the  people, 
are:  Rolla  Wells,  mayor;  James  Y.  Player,  comptroller;  James  M.  Fran- 
ciscus,  treasurer;  Bernard  Dierkes,  auditor;  Patrick  J.  Regan,  registrar; 
the  terms  expiring  in  April,  1909. 


The  City  of  Boston,  the  capital  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  fifth  largest 
city  in  the  United  States,  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  our  cities.  It  was  settled 
on  what  was  known  to  the  Indians  as  Shawmut,  which  by  the  early  col- 
onists was  later  named  Trimontaine.  In  1630  the  settlement  was  named 
Boston.  The  city  received  its  first  charter  in  1822.  In  1854  this  charter 
was  revised,  and  since  then  remained  practically  the  same,  amended  by 
a  number  of  legislative  acts.  The  present  area  of  the  city  is  42.6  sc[uare 
miles,  and  is  divided  into  twenty-five  wards.  The  population  of  Boston, 
according  to  the  state  census  for  1905  was  593,598,  and  for  1906  was  esti- 
mated by  the  United  States  Census  Bureau  at  602,278. 

The  government  of  the  city  is  in  the  hands  of  a^iayor,  elected  for  a 
term  of  two  years;  a  board  of  aldermen,  consisting  of  thirteen  members, 


27 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


elected  at  large  for  one  year,  of  which  no  more  than  seven  may  belong  to 
one  party,  and  a  common  council  consisting  of  seventy-five  councilmen, 
three  for  each  of  the  twenty-five  wards.  There  is  also  elected  by  popular 
vote  a  board  of  three  street  commissioners,  elected  for  a  term  of  three 
years.  All  other  officials  are  either  appointed  by  the  mayor,  some  with  and 
some  without  the  consent  of  the  council,  and  others  by  the  governor  in  con- 
junction with  the  mayor  or  the  council.  The  police  commissioner,  the  board 
of  transit  commissioners  and  licensing  board  are  thus  appointed  by  the 
governor,  while  the  school  committee,  consisting  of  five  members,  serving 
without  pay,  is  elected  by  popular  vote  for  a  term  of  three  years. 

Boston  obtains  its  water  supply  from  Lake  Cochituate-  and  the  Na- 
shua and  Sudbury  rivers  by  gravity  and  re-pumping  for  high  service. 
There  are  three  storage  reservoirs  and  two  high  service  tanks.  The 
water  is  being  purified  by  slow  sand  filtration.  The  water  works  were 
built  in  1848.  The  daily  pumpage  is  90,000,000  gallons.  There  are  743.6 
miles  of  mains.  The  total  operating  expenses  for  the  year  1906-1907  were 
$659,540.98,  with  an  additional  $326,628.80  for  maintenance  of  the  metro- 
politan water  system.  The  interest  on  the  water  debt  amounts  to 
$1,334,529.11. 

The  sewerage  system  contains  700.55  miles  of  sewers,  the  sewage  be- 
ing discharged  into  deep  tide  water  by  pumping.  The  street  department 
is  in  charge  of  the  bureaux  of  bridges,  ferries,  paving,  sanitation,  sewers, 
street  cleaning  and  street  watering.  Boston  has  117  bridges,  of  which  78 
are  maintained  wholly,  and  39  partly,  by  the  city.  It  also  has  seven  ferry 
boats  which,  during  last  year,  were  operated  with  a  deficit  of  $204,705.73. 
The  total  mileage  of  streets  is  508.75,  of  which  only  5.95  miles  are  un- 
graded; 96.34  miles  are  paved  with  granite;21.16miles  with  asphalt;  337.10 
miles  with  macadam;  and  33.57  miles  with  gravel.  The  city  also  owns  a 
number  of  street  railway  subways  and  tunnels  for  elevated  railway  service. 
They  were  built  by  the  city  at  a  total  cost  of  $11,767,500.00,  and  are  leased 
to  the  companies.  Street  cleaning  and  watering  are  done  by  day  labor  at 
an  expense  of  $618,429.01,  and  street  dirt  is  dumped  at  sea;  garbage, 
treated  by  reduction,  is  being  collected  and  disposed  of  at  a  total  cost  of 
$767,859.76.  The  streets  of  Boston  are  lighted  by  16,045  lamps,  of  which 
3,787  are  electric  lamps,  10,235  gas  and  1,812  naphtha  lamps.  The  total 
cost  of  street  lighting  is  $826,804.01. 

The  health  department  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $193,250.79  and  has 
charge  of  an  epidemic  hospital  and  a  quarantine  station.  The  death  rate 
in  1905  was  18.49,  with  11,000  deaths.  The  bath  department  has  supervis-  . 
ion  of  two  bath  houses;  six  beaches;  one  river  bath;  one  swimming  pool; 
six  floating  baths;  six  gymnasia  and  several  comfort  stations.  The  total 
expense  of  the  department  is  $196,088.00,  including  $14,643.17  for  comfort 
stations.     Boston  has  numerous  parks,    having  a   total   area  of  2,381.15 


28 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


acres,  including  seventeen  playgrounds.  The  expense  for  maintenance 
was  $340,915.48,  while  $243,238.74  were  paid  out  for  new  playgrounds  and 
improvements.  Boston  has  186  general  schools,  in  which  96,088  pupils 
are  enrolled,  with  an  average  daily  attendance  of  87,016  pupils,  taught  by 
2,282  teachers  at  a  grand  total  exj)ense  of  4,460,129.07,  of  which  $716,- 
482.77  were  for  land  and  buildings.  The  police  force,  numbering  1,225  men, 
making  43,000  arrests,  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $1,933,296.48.  There  are 
nearly  800  saloons  in  the  city,  paying  each  a  license  of  either  $2,000.00, 
$1,000.00  or  $500.00  per  annum,  of  which  the  city  gets  three-fourths  and 
the  state  one-fourth.  The  city's  revenue  from  that  source  for  last  year 
was  $1,078,473.24.  The  fire  department  has  930  members,  and  is  main- 
tained at  an  expense  of  $1,437,270.87. 

The  grand  total  expenditures  of  the  City  of  Boston  were  $43,763.- 
264.27,  including  $5,600,000.00  for  payment  of  temporary  loans  and 
$3,660,750.00  redemption  of  funded  debt.  The  actual  expenditures  of  the 
city,  less  all  payments  to  the  state  and  debt  payments,  were  $32,749,711.77. 
The  receipts  amounted  to  $45,014,903.27,  including  $15,183,250.00  from 
bonds,  temporary  loans  and  sinking  fund;  $22,005,361.05  from  taxes  and 
$2,551,845.10  from  water.  The  total  valuation  of  all  property  in  the  city 
is  $1,289,704,987.00,  the  tax  rate  being  for  the  city  $13.20,  the  state  $1.79 
and  the  county  $0.91,  or  a  total  of  $15.90.  The  gross  bonded  indebted- 
ness of  Boston  is  $101 ,449,606.00,  of  which  3,414,000.00  is  county  debt.  The 
sinking  funds  contain  $32,628,246.59,  leaving  a  net  debt  on  February  1. 
1907,  of  $68,821,359.41. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Boston  are:  John  F.  Fitzgerald,  mayor; 
William  Berwin,  chairman  of  the  board  of  aldermen;  William  J.  Bar- 
rett, president  of  the  common  council;  J.  Alfred  Mitchell,  city  audi- 
tor; Edward  J.  Donovan,  city  clerk;  and  Charles  H.  Slattery,  city  treas- 
urer. 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


J.   BARRY    MAHOOL 
Mayor  of  Baltimore,  Maryland 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


lalttmnr^ 


Baltimore,  the  "Monumental  City,"  was  founded  in  1729,  and  named 
after  Lord   Cecil   Calvert   Baltimore. 

It  received  its  first  charter  as  a  city  in  1797.  At  present  it  is  working  un- 
der its  new  charter,  which  was  adopted  in  1898.  The  city  government  is 
placed  in  the  hands  of  a  mayor  and  a  bicameral  council,  of  which  the  first 
branch  consists  of  twenty-four  members,  one  from  each  ward,  and  the 
second  branch  of  eight  members  elected  from  four  districts,  and  a  presi- 
dent also  elected  by  popular  vote.  The  mayor  is  elected  for  a  term  of  four 
years,  as  is  also  the  comptroller.  The  mayor  appoints  all  heads  of  de- 
partments, subject  to  confirmation  by  the  second  branch  of  the  council. 
The  mayor,  comptroller,  register,  and  president  of  the  first  branch  of  the 
council,  form  a  board  of  estimates,  exercising  control  of  the  municipal 
finances.  The  area  of  Baltimore  is  31.64  square  miles,  divided  into 
twenty-four  wards.  Its  population,  according  to  the  estimate  of  the  Cen- 
sus Bureau,  for  1906  was  553,669. 

Since  the  great  fire  in  February,  1904,  by  which  property  valued  at 
more  than  $100,000,000.00  was  destroyed,  a  new  spirit  has  taken  hold  of 
the  city,  and  never  has  Baltimore  witnessed  so  great  a  civic  activity  and 
the  inauguration  of  so  many  municipal  undertakings.  Some  of  the  most 
notable  of  these  are  the  construction  of  the  sewerage  system,  the  widen- 
ing of  the  streets  and  the  new  dock  system,  the  latter  two  more  directly 
due  to  the  fire.  A  "Burnt  District  Commission"  is  in  charge  of  this  work. 
For  its  purposes,  loans  aggregating  $21,000,000.00  have  been  submitted  to, 
and  approved  by,  the  people  of  Baltimore.  In  addition  to  this,  a  further 
loan  of  $5,000,000.00  for  paving  and  $1,000,000.00  for  park  purposes  has 
been  authorized  by  the  legislature. 

The  sewerage  system,  which  is  now  being  constructed,  will  ultimately 
contain  430  miles  of  main  sanitary  sewers,  420  miles  house  connections 
and  laterals  and  180  miles  of  storm-water  sewers,  or  a  total  of  1,030  miles. 
So  far,  eight  miles  have  been  completed,  with  twenty-seven  miles  more 
contracted  for,  at  a  total  cost  of  approximately  $3,000,000.00.  An  extensive 
purification  plant  consisting  of  filter  beds,  settling  basins  and  septic  tanks, 
is  building.  The  docks  of  the  city  before  the  fire  were  owned  by  private  in- 
dividuals and  corporations.  In  order  to  improve  and  increase  the  shipping 
facilities,  the  city  acquired  the  property  by  condemnation  and  made  plans 
for  building  larger  and  better  docks.  These  plans  include  the  building  of 
six  piers,  of  which  three  have  already  been  contracted  for,  one  being  almost 
ready  to  be  used.     In  widening  a  number  of  the  streets  in  the  congested  dis- 


31 


THE  BOOK    OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


trict  more  than  ten  acres  were  added  to  the  street  area  at  a  cost  of  over 
$4,000,000.00,  most  of  which  funds  the  city  obtained  from  the  sale  of  West- 
ern Maryland  Railroad  stock,  which  it  owned. 

Baltimore's  streets  have  a  length  of  430.7  miles  in  addition  to  116  miles 
of  alleys;  385.8  miles  of  streets  are  paved;  262.9  miles  with  cobblestone;  43 
miles  with  Belgian  block;  22.3  miles  with  asphalt  and  50  miles  with  maca- 
dam. One  hundred  and  nine  miles  of  alleys  are  paved  with  cobblestone. 
For  cleaning  the  streets  $260,086.65  were  expended  in  1906,  in  addition  to 
$201,800.00  for  garbage  collection  and  disposal,  which  is  done  by  the  reduc- 
tion process  under  private  contract.  The  expenditures  for  lighting  the 
streets  with  nearly  9,500  lights,  of  which  1,750  are  arc  lights,  1,000  naphtha 
and  7,000  gas  lights,  amounted  to  $261,387.36. 

Baltimore  obtains  its  water  supply  from  the  Gunpowder  River  and 
Jones'  Falls.  The  system  comprises  684.23  miles  of  mains,  and  its  total 
cost,  until  January  1,  1907,  was  $12,833,495.67.  The  average  daily  pump- 
age  per  day  was  64,833,622  gallons.  The  total  cost  for  its  operation  and 
maintenance  was  $990,806.60. 

The  health  department  of  the  city  spent  $140,355.53,  with  an  addi- 
tional $387,396.08  for  hospitals,  asylums  and  alms-houses.  The  death  rate, 
with  11,000  deaths,  was  19.77.  Among  the  white  population  it  was  17.11, 
and  among,  the  colored  population,  which  numbers  90,000,  it  was  31.12. 
The  police  department,  in  charge  of  a  commission  appointed  by  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  state,  numbers  a  little  over  1,000  officers  and  employes;  total 
number  of  arrests,  nearly  30,000.  The  total  expenditures  of  the  police  de- 
partment for  last  year  were  $1,088,640.01.  There  are  2,250  saloons  in  the 
city,  paying  a  license  fee  of  $250.00  each,  of  which  one-fourth  goes  to  the 
state.  The  fire  department,  with  470  members,  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of 
$662,946.18,  while  an  additional  $117,421.44  was  paid  out  for  improvements. 

Baltimore's  park  system  contains  1,395.27  acres,  of  which  the  largest 
park,  Druid  Hill,  occupies  671.2  acres  and  Clifton  Park  252.97  acres.  For 
their  maintenance  $426,017.26  was  expended,  with  an  additional  $161,568.95 
for  extensions.  Baltimore  has  108  public  schools,  with  an  average  daily  at- 
tendance of  55,000  pupils,  taught  by  1,635  teachers,  at  a  total  cost  of  $1,- 
580,629.68. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  amounted  to  $15,510,422.91,  of 
which  $1,713,770.63  was  for  interest  and  sinking  funds  and  $945,625.31 
for  improvements  and  betterments.  The  revenues  of  the  city  amounted  to 
$14,210,009.42,  of  which  $6,869,352.34  was  from  taxes;  $715,101.15  from  in- 
terest; $958,088,65  from  water;  $453,518.42  from  saloon  licenses  and  $488,- 
186.61  from  franchise  taxes.  The  total  assessed  valuation  for  1906  was 
$595,791,882.00,  the  full  tax  rate  being  $1.97>4,  at  which  rate,  however,  only 
property  valued  at  $359,082,180.00  is  assessable;  while  property  consisting 
of  securities,  suburban  property  and  saving  banks  deposits,  valued  at  $236,- 


32 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


709,702.00,  is  assessed  at  rates  of  18^c,  30c  and  60c  respectively,  making 
the  full  value  of  all  property  reduced  to  full  rate  basis  $399,221,605.00.  The 
bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  on  January  1,  1907,  was  $44,464,382.95, 
against  which  the  sinking  funds  held  $16,872,601.82. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Baltimore,  elected  by  popular  vote,  are: 
J.  Barry  Mahool,  mayor;  Harry  F.  Hooper,  comptroller,  terms  ending  May 
16,  1911 ;  president  of  the  second  branch  of  the  council,  George  N.  Numsen. 


OIl^u^lan& 


Cleveland,  the  "Forest  City,"  the  largest  city  in  Ohio,  is  situated  on 
the  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  with  the  Cuyahoga  river  and  two  tributaries 
flowing  through  the  city.  The  land  along  the  river  is  low  and  flat,  and  here 
the  factories  are  located,  the  flats  being  spanned  by  a  system  of  viaducts. 
Cleveland  was  settled  in  1796  by  General  Moses  Cleaveland.  In  1814 
it  was  incorporated  as  a  village,  and  in  1836  chartered  as  a  city.  In  1853 
it  was  united  with  Ohio  City.  In  1891  the  city  obtained  a  new  charter 
under  the  so-called  "Federal  plan."  In  1902  the  legislature  of  Ohio  passed 
a.  municipal  code  providing  for  the  government  of  cities,  under  which  Cleve- 
land is  working  at  present. 

The  legislative  power  is  in  the  hands  of  a  council  consisting  of  one 
member  for  each  of  the  twenty-six  wards,  and  six  members  at  large.  They 
are  elected  for  a  period  of  two  years,  as  is  also  the  president  of  the  council, 
who  becomes  mayor,  in  case  of  a  vacancy,  for  the  unexpired  term.  An 
auditor  is  elected  for  three  years,  a  treasurer  for  two  years,  a  solicitor  for 
two  years,  a  board  of  public  service,  consisting  of  three  directors,  for  two 
years.  The  mayor  appoints  a  board  of  public  safety  of  two  directors,  for 
a  period  of  four  years,  with  consent  of  the  council,  which  is  in  charge  of  the 
police  and  fire  service.  The  chiefs  of  the  police  and  fire  departments,  ap- 
pointed from  the  classified  service,  are  under  the  direction  of  the  mayor. 

Cleveland's  area  is  41.16  square  miles,  divided  into  twenty-six  wards. 
Its  population  is  estimated  at  460,327. 

Cleveland  obtains  its  water  supply  from  Lake  Erie,  through  a  system 
of  cribs  and  tunnels  built  in  1856  at  a  total  cost,  up  to  date,  of  $14,000,- 
000.00  Its  average  daily  pumpage  is  61,000,000  gallons.  There  are  650 
miles  of  mains,  of  which  125  miles  are  for  high  service.  The  expenditure 
for  operating  for  1906  was  $431,888.54,  and  $502,777.18  was  expended  for 
extensions  and  improvements.  The  water  revenue  amounts  to  nearly 
$900,000.00  per  annum. 


83 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


There  are  645.7  miles  of  streets,  of  which  284.34  are  paved:  168.03 
miles  with  brick,  91.50  miles  with  Medina  stone,  22.90  miles  with  asphalt, 
1.13  miles  with  wood,  0.38  miles  with  Bitulithic,  and  0.40  miles  with  tar 
macadam.    The  streets  are  cleaned  by  day  labor,  at  a  cost  of  $239,505.53. 

Cleveland  owns  its  own  garbage  reduction  plants.  They  have  a  ca- 
pacity of  100  tons  per  day,  and  were  operated  in  1906  at  a  cost  of  $165,- 
939.55,  while  $17,631.44  were  expended  for  improvements;  the  receipts 
from  the  sale  of  the  products  amounted  to  $97,220.23. 

The  streets  are  lighted  by  12,700  lamps,  of  which  1,320  are  electric  arc 
lights,  at  a  cost  of  $264,032.64. 

The  death  rate  is  14.6,  with  6,424  deaths  in  1905. 

Cleveland  has  twenty-three  parks  with  a  total  area  of  1,523.9  square 
miles,  of  which  the  largest  are  Garfield  Park  with  163.18  square  acres,  and 
Gordon  Park  with  112.52  acres.  The  total  expenditure  for  park  purposes 
is  $223,523.81  for  maintenance  and  $368,349.92  for  improvements. 

The  police  force  of  the  city  numbers  595  men  who,  in  1906,  made  31,- 
736  arrests.     The  total  expense  for  police  purposes  was  $618,677.38. 

There  are  2,100  saloons  which  pay  a  license  of  $1,000.00  each;  of  which 
the  city  gets  one-half,  the  county  two-tenths  and  the  state  three-tenths. 
The  net  receipts  of  the  city  from  that  source  amount  to  $842,752.47. 

The  fire  department,  with  a  total  force  of  501,  is  maintained  at  an 
expense  of  $617,178.27. 

Cleveland's  school  system  is  entirely  separate  from  the  city  govern- 
ment. There  are  seventy-five  school  buildings,  with  over  65,000  pupils 
enrolled  and  nearly  1,500  teachers.  The  total  expense,  including  $700,- 
000.00  for  permanent  improvements,  amounts  to  over  $3,000,000.00  per 
annum. 

The  total  expenditures  for  the  year  1906  were  $9,785,640.67;  of  which 
$4,483,816.88  are  classed  as  extraordinary  expenditures.  The  total  re- 
ceipts were  $10,824,705.14,  including  $3,086,636.44  from  taxes  and  $3,555,- 
530.78  from  bonds.  The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property,  equaling  about 
40  per  cent  of  the  actual  value,  was  $228,334,760.00.  The  total  tax  rate  was 
$31.90,  of  which  $10.15  was  for  the  city,  $3.65  for  the  sinking  funds,  $11.70 
for  the  schools  and  libraries,  $5.05  for  the  county  and  $1.34  for  the  state. 
The  bonded  indebtedness  of  Cleveland  on  January  1,  1907,  was  $27,579,- 
461.00,  against  which  there  is  a  sinking  fund  of  $1,434,024.00.  This  does 
not  include  the  school  and  library  debt,  amounting  to  $2,829,150.00. 

The  present  city  officials  of  the  city  of  Cleveland,  elected  by  the  people, 
are:  Mayor,  Tom  L.  Johnson;  Vice-Mayor  and  President  of  the  Council, 
Chas.  W.  Lapp;  City  Solicitor,  Newton  D.  Baker;  City  Auditor,  J.  P.  Madi- 
gan;  City  Treasurer,  Carl  H.  Nau;  City  Clerk,  Peter  Witt;  Board  of  Public 
Service,  W.  J.  Springborn;  H.  R.  Cooley,  D.  E.  Leslie;  Board  of  Public 
Safety,  Hugh  J.  Buckley,  Jr.,  M.  B.  Excell. 


34 


THE  BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


The  city  of  Bufifalo,  the  second  largest  in  the  state  of  New  York,  was 
founded  in  1803,  when  a  village  was  laid  out  named  New  Amsterdam, 
which  soon  became  known  as  Bufifalo.  The  present  city  of  Bufifalo  was 
incorporated  in  1832.  The  government  of  Bufifalo  is  vested  in  a  mayor 
and  a  bi-cameral  council.  The  common  council,  or  upper  house,  consists 
of  nine  members  representing  the  city  at  large,  and  elected  for  four  years; 
while  the  board  of  aldermen,  one  member  for  each  ward,  is  elected  for  two 
years.  There  are  further  elected  by  popular  vote  for  a  term  of  four  years, 
the  comptroller,  the  corporation  counsel,  the  treasurer,  the  commissioner 
of  public  works,  the  superintendent  of  education,  the  overseer  of  the  poor, 
the  police  justices  and  justices  of  the  peace;  a  board  of  assessors  is  elected 
for  six  years.  The  council  elects  the  city  clerk,  and  the  mayor  appoints 
three  fire  commissioners  and  two  police  commissioners,  five  park  com- 
missioners, each  for  six  years ;  a  health  commissioner  for  five  years,  seven 
civil   service  commissioners,  and  various  other  ofificials. 

The  area  of  the  city  is  forty-two  square  miles,  divided  into  twenty- 
five  wards.  Its  population,  according  to  the  state  census  of  1905,  was 
376,682;  and  is  now  estimated  at  400,000. 

Bufifalo  obtains  its  water  supply  from  the  Niagara  River  by  pumping. 
Its  water  works,  to  be  greatly  enlarged  this  year,  were  built  in  1868.  It 
has  the  largest  pumping  station  under  one  roof  in  the  world,  equipped 
with  ten  steam  and  one  electric  pumps.  There  are  500  miles  of  mains,  and 
the  daily  consumption  is  324  gallons  per  capita. 

The  city  has  358  miles  of  paved  streets,  of  which  231.8  are  paved  with 
asphalt,  17.5  with  brick,  96.6  with  stone,  and  12  with  macadam.  They 
are  cleaned  and  sprinkled  by  contract.  Garbage  is  treated  by  the  reduc- 
tion system  and  collected  under  contract. 

Much  work  has  been  done  in  recent  years  eliminating  the  grade  cross- 
ings and  elevating  railroad  tracks.  Construction  was  begun  in  1905,  and 
since  then  thirty-seven  structures,  eliminating  sixty-five  crossings,  were 
completed.  Five  structures  are  yet  to  be  built  to  complete  the  general  plan 
of  the  commission.  The  total  cost  of  the  work,  including  damages,  has 
been  $7,233,446.75,  of  which  the  city  paid  $2,172,493.66,  while  the  railroad 
companies  paid  the  balance. 

Bufifalo  is  among  the  healthiest  of  our  cities.  Its  death  rate  for  1905 
was  14.36  per  thousand. 

Its  school  system  comprises  sixty-one  grammar  schools,  four  high 
schools,  twenty-three  public  kindergartens,  a  truant  school,  practice  school, 


35 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


JAMES   NOBLE   ADAM 

Mayor  of  Buffalo,  New  York 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


and  training  school.  The  total  registration  is  61,905,  with  an  average  daily 
attendance  of  46,195.  The  expense  for  maintaining  the  schools  is  $1,216,- 
505.75. 

Its  park  area  is  over  1,000  acres;  the  largest  park  being  Delaware 
Park  with  365  acres.  The  cost  of  maintaining  the  park  system  amounts 
to  $141,634.45. 

The  police  force,  numbering  800  men,  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $793,- 
662.75. 

There  are  1,500  saloons  in  the  city,  the  license  fee  being  $750.00,  of 
which  the  city  gets  one-half  and  the  state  the  other;  the  revenue  to  the 
city  from  this  source  for  this  year  is  estimated  at  $540,000.00. 

The  fire  department,  with  575  men,  costs  $760,840.70. 

Many  great  improvements  are  being  planned  by  the  city  for  the  near 
future.  The  council  has  adopted  a  plan  for  deepening  and  widening  the 
river  at  a  cost  of  $1,500,000.00.  Soon  the  electric  power  of  Niagara  Falls, 
a  suburb  of  Bufifalo,  is  to  be  used  for  the  city.  Contracts  have  been  made 
whereby  the  city  will  obtain  its  electric  light  at  a  rate  of  $56.00  per  lamp 
per  year,  as  against  $75.00  at  present;  and  a  charge  of  four  cents  per  kilo- 
watt hour  for  lighting  and  power  for  the  city  as  well  as  the  citizens  in 
general.  The  total  appropriation  for  expenditures  for  1906  was  $8,082,- 
598.06,  including  $2,355,808.45  for  interest  and  redemption  of  city  debt. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  of  all  property  was  $268,215,665.00,  and 
the  tax  rate  was  $22.00.  The  tax  levy  for  1906  amounted  to  $5,208,791.09. 
The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  is  $19,250,460.00,  against  which  the 
sinking  funds  are  $1,207,195.00. 

The  present  city  ofificials  of  Buf¥alo,  elected  by  the  people,  are :  Mayor, 
James  N.  Adam;  Comptroller,  George  M.  Zimmerman;  Corporation  Coun- 
sel, Louis  E.  Desbecker.  Their  terms  end  December  31,  1909.  Treasurer, 
Walter  J.  Shepard;  Commissioner  of  Public  Works,  Francis  G.  Ward; 
Superintendent  of  Education,  Henry  P.  Emerson;  their  terms  end  Decem- 
ber 31,  1907. 


37 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  city  of  Pittsburg  had  its  origin  in  a  small  trading  settlement 
founded  as  early  as  1730.  In  1754  a  fort  was  built  which,  in  1758,  was 
named  Fort  Pitts.  In  1794  Pittsburg  became  a  borough,  and  was  incor- 
porated as  a  city 'in  1816.  Its  present  government  is  vested  in  the  mayor 
and  a  bicameral  council.  The  mayor  appoints,  with  the  consent  of  the 
council,  the  treasurer  and  the  directors  of  the  departments  of  public  works, 
public  safety,  charities,  law,  fire  and  police  magistrates.  The  council 
elects  its  own  officers  and  clerks,  while  the  comptroller  of  the  city  is  chosen 
by  the  people.  The  area  of  the  city  is  29.41  square  miles,  divided  into 
forty-one  wards,  with  a  population  estimated  in  1906  at  375,082.  In  1905 
the  legislature  of  Pennsylvania  passed  a  law  for  the  annexation  of  Alle- 
gheny. This  was  approved  June  12,  1906,  by  a  inajority  vote  of  the  people. 
The  citizens  of  Allegheny,  however,  were  against  the  consolidation  and  took 
the  matter  into  the  courts  to  test  the  constitutionality  of  the  act.  Its 
validity  was  upheld  by  the  state  Supreme  Court  March  11,  1907,  and  from 
there  was  appealed  to  the  United  States  Supreme  Court,  where  it  is  now 
pending. 

Pittsburg  obtains  its  water  supply  from  the  Allegheny  river  through 
pumping.  The  water  is  purified  by  sedimentation  and  slow  sand  filtration. 
The  south  side  wards  of  the  city,  however,  are  supplied  from  the  Monon- 
gahela  river  by  a  private  company.  The  city's  system  comprises  370  miles 
of  mains.  The  streets  of  Pittsburg  have  a  length  of  450  miles,  of  which 
320  miles  are  paved;  130  miles  with  asphalt;  130  miles  with  granite;  40 
miles  with  cobblestone;  10  miles  with  macadam,  and  the  balance  with  dif- 
ferent materials.  Street  cleaning  and  sprinkling  is  done  by  day  labor, 
while  garbage  is  removed  by  contract  and  treated  under  the  reduction 
system.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  3,200  arc  lights  at  an^expense  of  $468,- 
663.26  in  1906. 

Pittsburg's  park  system  comprises  an  area  of  1,000  acres.  The  two 
largest  parks  are  Schenley  Park,  with  440  acres,  and  Highland  Park,  with 
441  acres.  The  parks  are  maintained  at  an  expense  of  $166,032.99.  For 
police  purposes  the  city  spent  $660,208.00,  its  police  force  numbering  500 
men.  There  are  nearly  600  saloons,  paying  a  license  fee  of  $1,100.00 
each,  of  which  the  city  gets  $900.00,  the  state  $100.00,  and  the  county 
$100.00. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  in  1906  were  $13,772,481.89,  in- 
cluding nearly  $1,000,000.00  for  interest  on  bonded  indebtedness  and 
$1,000,000.00  for  judgments.     The  receipts    amounted    to   $13,072,585.04, 


38 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


of  which  $6,663,140.64  was  from  taxes;  $2,502,295.00  from  bonds;  ^763,- 
529.87  from  water  rates,  and  $524,584.11  from  Hquor  Hcenses.  The  asse 
ssed  valuation  of  the  property  is  $584,409,037.00,  and  the  city's  tax  rate 
$12.50.  The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  on  January  1,  1907,  was 
$24,184,901.87,  against  which  the  sinking  fund  holds  $8,322,179.58.  To  this 
must  be  added  the  debt  of  sub-school  districts,  amounting  to  $2,851,750.00. 
The  debt  Hmit  is  7  per  cent  of  the  assessed  valuation. 

The  elective  city  officials  are:    George  W.   Guthrie,  mayor,   term  ex- 
piring April,  1909;  John  B.  Larkin,  Comptroller,  term  expiring  April,  1908. 


The  city  of  Detroit  was  founded  two  hundred  years  ago  as  a  trading 
post,  by  Antoine  de  la  Mothe  Cadillac.  In  1802  it  was  incorporated  as 
a  town,  and  in  1805  the  entire  village  was  destroyed  by  fire.  A  year  later 
Detroit  was  incorporated  as  a  city,  and  received  its  first  city  charter  in 
1815. 

The  government  is  vested  in  a  mayor  and  a  common  council,  and  sev- 
eral boards  and  commissions.  The  council  consists  of  two  aldermen  for 
each  ward,  elected  for  a  period  of  two  years.  Besides  the  council,  there  is 
a  board  of  estimates  consisting  of  two  members  for  each  ward,  and  five 
members  at  large,  elected  by  popular  vote  for  a  period  of  two  years.  The 
members  receive  $5.00  pay  for  each  daily  session.  The  heads  of  depart- 
ments and  the  president  of  the  council  are  ex-officio  members,  but  have  no 
vote.  This  board  acts  upon  the  general  city  estimates,  and  all  other 
measures  for  the  raising  of  money.  The  board  may  decrease  or  disap- 
prove, but  cannot  increase  the  amounts  proposed.  Besides  the  mayor,  who 
is  elected  for  two  years,  there  are  chosen  by  popular  vote,  a  city  clerk,  a 
treasurer,  a  recorder,  a  police  justice,  justices  of  the  peace,  and  a  board  of 
education  consisting  of  eighteen  members.  Upon  the  nomination  of  the 
mayor,  the  council  appoints  the  comptroller  for  three  years,  the  receiver 
of  taxes  for  three  years,  a  board  of  three  building  inspectors,  a  board  of 
four  fire  commissioners,  for  four  years,  who  serve  without  pay;  a  gas  com- 
missioner, six  public  lighting  commissioners,  and  five  water  commis- 
sioners, for  five  years.  A  board  of  health,  of  four  members,  is  appointed 
by  the  governor  of  the  state.  They,  in  turn,  appoint  a  health  officer.  The 
mayor  appoints  a  corporation  counsel,  a  commissioner  of  public  works,  a 
commissioner  of  police,  and  a  commissioner  of  parks,  each  for  a  term  of 
four  years. 


39 


THE   BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


WILLIAM   B.  THOMPSON 
Mayor  of  Detroit,  MicbigiD 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  area  of  Detroit  is  35.9  square  miles,  divided  into  eighteen  wards. 
Its  population  is  estimated  at  375,000.  Recently  the  city  was  enlarged  by 
annexation  of  a  territory  covering  about  8  square  miles,  with  a  population 
of  20,000. 

Detroit  receives  its  water  supply  from  Lake  St.  Clair.  Its  water 
works  were  erected  at  a  cost  of  $7,076,946.84,  and  have  a  capacity  of  152,- 
000,000  gallons.  The  daily  average  pumped  is  61,357,019  gallons.  There 
are  683  miles  of  pipe.  The  water  rates  charged  are  among  the  lowest  in 
the  United  States.  The  revenue  from  water  for  the  year  1906  amounted 
to  $501,351.44.  The  total  expenditures  were  $783,567.89,  of  which  $152,- 
076.93  was  for  operation  and  the  balance  for  construction  and  payment  of 
bonds  and  interest. 

The  sewerage  system  consists  of  182  miles  of  public,  and  399  miles 
of  lateral  sewers.     The  sewage  is  discharged  into  the  Detroit  river. 

Of  its  629  miles  of  streets,  331.85  miles  are  paved;  220  miles  with 
cedar  blocks,  25  miles  with  brick,  30  miles  with  asphalt,  and  the  balance 
with  various  other  materials.  The  streets  are  cleaned  and  sprinkled  by 
day  labor,  at  an  expense  of  $223,186.50.  The  garbage  is  collected  and  dis- 
posed of  by  the  reduction  system,  under  contract,  at  a  cost  of  $47,208.37. 

Detroit  owns  its  own  electric  lighting  plant,  operating  3,241  arc  lights, 
and  17,527  incandescents,  and  52  motors.  The  total  cost  of  the  plant 
amounted  to  $1,034,128.26.  The  cost  of  operating  per  arc  per  year  for  the 
year  1905  is  given  as  $33.18. 

The  schools  of  the  city  are  located  in  85  buildings,  with  an  enroll- 
ment of  44,800  pupils,  taught  by  1,084  teachers.  The  total  expenditure  for 
school  purposes  is  $1,402,357.60,  of  which  $301,666.72  was  for  new  build- 
higs  and  permanent  improvements. 

The  parks  of  the  city  have  a  total  area  of  1,181.56  acres,  of  which 
the  largest.  Belle  Isle  Park,  has  707  acres.  The  total  expense  for  main- 
taining the  parks  was  $181,128.19,  while  $118,025.20  was  spent  for  im- 
provements. 

The  police  force  of  Detroit  numbers  604  men  and  6  matrons.  The  to- 
tal expenditure  amounts  to  $632,200.28.  The  total  number  of  arrests  made 
during  last  year  was  11,113. 

There  are  1,349  saloons  in  the  city,  paying  a  license  fee  of  $500  per 
year,  of  which  the  city  receives  one-half,  less  1  per  cent  for  collection.  The 
total  revenue  from  this  source  for  1906"being  $358,287.66. 

The  fire  department  numbers  537  men,  and  is  maintained  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $649,604.41. 

The  total  expenditure  of  the  city  for  the  year  1906  was  $6,767,574.86, 
not  including  the  expense  of  the  water  department.  The  receipts  were 
$6,980,320.95,  of  which  $4,089,925.16  were  from  taxes. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  property  in  Detroit  is  $305,656,900,  and  the 


41 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


EDWARD   J.   DEMPSEY 
Mayor  of  Cincinnali,  Ohio 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


tax  rate  $14.72.  The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  was  $7,103,000. 
This  does  not  include  water  bonds  and  the  annexed  district  debt,  and 
special  assessment  funds.  Including  these,  the  total  bonded  indebtedness 
was,  on  February  1st,  1907,  $9,391,041.87,  against  which  the  sinking  funds 
held  $2,940,355.38. 

The  present  city  officials,  elected  by  the  people,  are: 
Mayor,  Wm.  B.  Thompson;  city  clerk,  George  T.  Gaston;  city  treas- 
urer, Max  C.  Koch. 


dtnrinnatt 


Cincinnati  was  founded  in  1790,  and  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in 
1802  and  as  a  city  in  1819.  It  is  governed  at  present  under  the  municipal 
code  passed  by  the  legislature  of  Ohio  providing  for  the  government  of 
cities.  The  city  has  an  area  of  42.5  square  miles,  divided  into  thirty-one 
wards,  and  its  population  in  1906  was   estimated  at  345,230. 

The  water  supply  is  obtained  from  the  Ohio  river,  pumped  into  reser- 
voirs in  Eden  Park.  The  water  works  were  built  in  1840  and  cost  up  to 
date  $15,000,000.00.  There  are  450  miles  of  mains.  Cincinnati  has  a  total 
of  700  miles  of  streets,  of  which  450  miles  are  paved;  40  miles  with  asphalt; 
60  miles  with  brick;  60  miles  with  cobblestone;  50  miles  with  granite,  and 
230  miles  with  macadam.  Its  park  system  covers  an  area  of  540  acres,  of 
which  Eden  Park  contains  216  acres. 

The  city  owns  the  Cincinnati  Southern  Railroad,  which  is  leased  until 
1966,  at  an  annual  rental  of  $1,050,000.00  for  the  first  twenty  years;  $1,100,- 
000.00  for  the  second  period  of  twenty  years,  and  $1,200,000.00  for  the  re- 
maining twenty  years.  The  railroad  company  is  also  to  pay  the  interest 
on  $2,. 500,000.00  bonds,  to  be  issued  for  terminal  facilities,  as  well  as  a  sum 
annually  in  addition,  for  a  sinking  fund. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  in  1906  was  $234,572,420.00,  and  the  tax 
rate  $26.00.  The  school  tax  amounted  to  $7.50  per  thousand  dollars.  The 
general  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  on  J^n^ary  1,  1907,  was  $42,427,- 
642.00,  against  which  there  is  a  sinking  fund  of  $6,212,658.00.  This  does 
not  include  street  bonds,  payable  by  special  assessment,  for  $1,230,725.49. 

The  present  mayor  of  the  city  is  Edward  J-  Dempsey. 


43 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


^nn  Mvwxtma 


i 


San  Francisco,  the  City  of  the  Golden  Gate,  was  incorporated  as  a 
town  in  1850,  although  its  first  settlement  reaches  back  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  fort  and  a  mission  by  the  Spaniards  in  1775.  The  charter, 
under  which  the  city  is  working  at  present,  became  effective  in  January, 
1900.  The  city  is  coextensive  with  the  county  and  a  combined  govern- 
ment is  provided.  The  legislative  power  is  vested  in  a  board  of  eighteen 
supervisors.  The  people  elect  the  following  city  officials  for  a  term  of 
two  years:  Mayor,  auditor,  treasurer,  assessor,  tax  collector,  recorder, 
city  attorney,  district  attorney,  public  administrator,  county  clerk,  sheriff, 
coroner  and  four  police  judges.  Appointments  to  public  service  are  sub- 
ject to  civil  service  rules.  The  city  has  an  area  of  46.5  square  miles,  and 
its  population  in  1905  was  estimated  at  364,677. 

Since  the  terrific  catastrophe  in  April,  1906,  by  which  an  area  of  nearly 
four  square  miles  was  laid  bare  at  a  loss  of  more  than  $200,000,000.00,  the 
citizens  are  busily  engaged  in  rebuilding  the  city.  This  will  involve  a  com- 
plete change  in  the  general  plan  of  the  city,  and  definite  municipal  data 
are  not  yet  at  hand.  Since  several  years  reform  forces  of  San  Francisco 
were  trying  their  utmost  to  bring  about  a  betterment  in  its  civic  condi- 
tions. They  finally  succeeded  early  in  1907  to  lay  bare  a  system  of  bribery 
and  graft  involving  the  board  of  supervisors,  a  number  of  city  officials,  and, 
above  all,  the  mayor,  Eugene  E.  Schmitz.  On  July  8,  1907,  the  mayor  was 
convicted  of  extortion  and  sentenced  to  five  years  in  the  penitentiary.  On 
July  16  a  nominating  convention,  consisting  of  delegates  of  the  Building 
Trades,  Chamber  of  Commerce,  Board  of  Trade,  Merchants'  Association, 
the  Real  Estate  Board  and  the  Merchants'  Exchange,  agreed  upon  Dr. 
Edward  R.  Taylor  to  be  the  city's  mayor  until  November,  when  the  next 
municipal  election  will  be  held.  This  choice  was  immediately  confirmed 
by  the  board  of  supervisors  which,  under  the  charter,  was  empowered  to 
elect  a  mayor. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  property  for  the  year  1906-1907  is  $376,- 
138,737.00,  and  the  tax  rate  $17.98.  For  years  San  Francisco  had  no 
bonded  indebtedness.  In  1903  the  city  voted  to  issue  $17,771,000.00  im- 
provement bonds.  Of  this  $4,139,600,00  have  been  issued  and  form  the 
total  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city,  against  which  the  sinking  funds  hold 
$349,718.00. 


44 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


iitlmauk^^ 


The  City  of  Milwaukee  was  laid  out  as  a  town  in  1835,  though  a 
trading  post  had  been  established  on  its  site  as  early  as  1818  by  Solomon 
Juneau.  It  was  chartered  as  a  city  in  1847.  Its  present  charter  was  ob- 
tained in  1895.  Under  it  the  government  is  vested  in  a  mayor  and  a  city 
council,  consisting  of  two  aldermen  from  each  ward,  elected  for  a  period  of 
two  years.  The  council  elects  its  president,  and  also  the  city  clerk.  The 
mayor,  treasurer  and  comptroller  are  elected  for  two  years,  and  the  city 
attorney  for  four  years.  The  mayor  appoints,  with  the  concurrence  of  the 
council,  the  commissioner  of  public  works,  commissioner  of  health,  chiefs  of 
the  fire  and  police  departments  and  other  department  heads.  The  mayor, 
city  clerk,  tax  commissioner  and  the  ward  assessors,  constitute  a  board 
of  review  on  assessment  rolls.  The  area  of  the  city  is  23.1  square  miles, 
divided  into  twenty-three  wards.     The  population  is  estimated  at  360,000. 

Milwaukee  obtains  its  water  supply  from  Lake  Michigan  by  pump- 
ing. The  water  works  were  built  in  1872,  and  cost,  up  to  date,  over 
$8,000,000.00.  There  are  400  miles  of  water  pipe  with  a  daily  average 
pumpage  of  28,000,000  gallons.  The  annual  revenue  from  water  rates  is 
nearly  $500,000.00.  The  sewerage  system  comprises  380  miles  of  sewers, 
and  the  sewage  is  discharged  into  the  Milwaukee  and  Kinnickinnic  riv- 
ers, which  are  flushed  through  huge  flushing  tunnels. 

Its  streets  have  a  total  length  of  610  miles,  of  which  410  miles  are 
paved;  25  miles  with  asphalt,  10  miles  with  granite,  9  miles  with  brick,  40 
miles  with  wooden  block,  75  miles  with  cobblestone  and  250  miles  with 
gravel.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  2,000  electric  arc  lights,  2,600  gas  lights 
and  400  gasoline  lamps,  at  a  total  cost  of  $260,000.00.  The  park  system 
contains  an  area  of  500  acres,  and  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $100,000.00. 

The  police  force  of  Milwaukee  numbers  403  men.  In  1906  they  made 
6,804  arrests.  The  appropriation  for  the  police  department  in  1906  was 
$400,000.00,  while  that  for  the  fire  department  was  $505,000.00.  The  total 
expenditures  of  Milwaukee  amount  to  nearly  $8,000,000.00  per  annum.  The 
assessed  valuation  of  all  property,  equal  to  about  one-half  of  the  cash  value, 
was  $201,585,127.00;  the  total  tax  rate  $22.59.  The  bonded  indebtedness 
of  the  city  is  $8,104,500.00,  against  which  the  sinking  funds  hold  $711,- 
250.00. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Milwaukee  are:  Sherburne  M.  Becker, 
mayor;  Paul  Bechtner,  comptroller;  Wm.  H.  Graebner,  city  treasurer; 
John  T.  Kelly,  city  attorney. 


45 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


JAMES   C.    HAYNES 
Mayor  of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Paaljmgtnn 


Washington,  the  capital  city  of  the  United  States,  was  founded  hy  an 
act  of  Congress  in  1791.  Since  1874  the  government  is  under  control  of 
three  commissioners,  appointed  by  the  president,  and  approved  by  the 
United  States  Senate.  The  citizens  have  no  direct  voice  in  the  appoint- 
ments to  office  within  the  district,  as  they  have  no  vote  in  district  or  na- 
tional affairs.  All  appropriations  are  made  by  Congress  on  estimates  sub- 
mitted by  the  commissioners.  < 

The  area  of  Washington  is  60  square  miles,  and  the  population,  ac- 
cording to  a  police  census  in  1905,  was  323,123  for  the  entire  District  of 
Columbia.  Washington's  water  supply  is  brought  from  the  Great  Falls 
of  the  Potomac  river  by  means  of  an  aqueduct  12  miles  long.  The  water 
works  were  built  in  1850  and  comprise  500  miles  of  mains.  The  daily 
consumption  is  200  gallons  per  capita.  A  new  sand  filtration  plant  was 
completed  within  the  last  year. 

There  are  440  miles  of  streets  in  the  city,  of  which  300  miles  are 
paved;  170  miles  with  asphalt,  30  miles  with  granite,  and  80  miles  with 
macadam.  They  are  cleaned  by  day  labor,  while  garbage  is  collected 
and  treated  by  the  reduction  system  under  contract.  The  streets  are 
lighted  by  1,000  electric  arc  lights,  1,000  incandescents,  7,500  gas  and  1,500 
gasoline  lamps,  or  a  total  of  11,000.  , 

Washington  has  150  school  buildings  with  an  enrollment  of  52,000  pu- 
pils, taught  by  1,480  teachers,  at  an  annual  expenditure  of  nearlv  $2,000.- 
000.00.  The  police  force  numbers  700  men,  who  make  30,000  arrests. 
There  are  500  saloons  paying  a  license  fee  each  of  $800.00  per  year.  The 
fire  department  numbers  310  men.  The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  are 
$12,000,000.00  per  annum.  The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property  within 
the  District  of  Columbia  for  1906  is  $268,131,287.00,  and  the  tax  rate 
$15.00.  The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  District  of  Columbia  on  April 
1,  1907,  was  $11,103,850.00. 

The  commissioners  of  the  District  of  Columbia  are:  Henry  B.  F.  Mc- 
Farland,  Henry  L.  West,  John  Biddle. 


Mtttn^apnltiS 


The  City  of  Minneapolis  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1855  and  was 
chartered  as  a  city  in  1867.  In  1872  it  was  combined  with  the  city  of  St. 
Anthony,  which  had  received  its  city   charter  in    1856.     In    1881   a   new 


47 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


charter  law  was  passed  by  the  legislature,  under  which  the  city  is  still 
working;  since  the  year  1898  three  different  attempts  were  made  by  the 
city  to  obtain  a  new  charter.  Three  different  charter  commissions 
worked  out  a  plan  which,  however,  upon  submission  to  the  people  failed  of 
adoption  in  every  case.  The  government  of  the  city  rests  in  the  mayor, 
city  council  and  several  boards  acting  independent  of  the  council.  The 
city  council  is  composed  of  two  aldermen  from  each  ward,  and  appoints 
the  city  clerk  and  most  of  the  heads  of  the  departments  and  bureaux. 
The  mayor,  comptroller  and  treasurer  are  elected  for  a  term  of  two  years. 
The  mayor  is  the  head  of  the  police  department  and  appoints  the  chief 
of  police.  A  library  board  of  six  members  is  elected  for  six  years,  and  a 
school  board  of  seven  members  is  elected  for  three  years. 

The  area  of  the  city  is  53.29  square  miles,  divided  into  thirteen 
wards.  The  population,  according  to  the  state  census  of  1905,  was  261,974, 
and  is  now  estimated  at  290,000. 

Minneapolis  receives  its  water  supply  from  the  Mississippi  river, 
pumped  into  reservoirs  with  two  basins  with  a  capacity  of  48,000,000  gal- 
lons each,  and  thence  by  gravity  through  300  miles  of  mains  to  the  con- 
sumer, the  daily  consumption  amounting  to  18,369,320  gallons.  The  re- 
ceipts from  water  rates  amount  to  $250,000.00.  There  are  420  miles  of 
streets,  of  which  120  miles  are  paved;  25  miles  with  granite,  13  miles  with 
brick,  50  miles  with  wooden  block,  20  miles  with  asphalt  and  12  miles  with 
macadam.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  1,000  arc  lights,  5,500  gas  lamps  and 
2,000  gasoline  lamps.     The  park  system  has  an  area  of  1,800  acres. 

Minneapolis  has  75  school  buildings  with  an  enrollment  of  42,000  pu- 
pils, taught  by  1,000  teachers.  The  police  force  numbers  250  men,  making 
6,000  arrests.  There  are  400  saloons  in  the  city,  paying  each  a  license  fee 
of  $1,000.00.  The  fire  department  numbers  300  men.  The  total  expendi- 
tures of  the  city  for  1905,  for  maintenance  and  operation,  were  $3,404,- 
156.20,  and  for  permanent  improvements  $1,159,294.06.  The  assessed  val- 
uation of  all  property  in  1906,  equal  to  about  one-half  of  the  actual  value, 
was  $164,419,145.00;  the  total  tax  rate  $26.50,  including  $2.23  for  the  coun- 
ty, $1.55  for  the  state  and  $1.23  for  state  school  and  university  tax.  The 
bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  on  January  1,  1907,  was  $9,534,000.00, 
against  which  the  sinking  funds  held  $2,296,752.00. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Minneapolis,  their  terms  expiring  January 
1,  1909,  are:  J.  C.  Haynes,  mayor;  Dan  Brown,  comptroller;  C.  L.  Hurl- 
bert,  treasurer;  L.  A.  Lydiard,  city  clerk. 


48 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


N^m  ®rban0 


The  city  of  New  Orleans  was  founded  by  Jean  de  Bienville,  gov- 
ernor of  the  colony  of  Louisiana,  in  1718.  It  was  made  capital  of  the 
colony  in  1722,  and  in  1727  the  population  of  the  city  had  reached  1,600. 
After  the  cession  of  Louisiana  to  the  Ignited  States,  the  territorial  assembly 
granted  New  Orleans  its  first  city  charter  in  1805.  Its  present  charter  was 
passed  by  the  legislature  in  1896  and  was  amended  several  i  times  since 
then.  Under  it  the  legislative  power  is  vested  in  a  city  council  consisting 
of  twenty-one  members,  elected  for  four  years,  of  which  seventeen  are 
elected  by  wards,  and  four  by  districts,  each  of  which  comprises  several 
wards.  The  people  elect  further  for  a  term  of  four  years,  a  mayor,  treas- 
ttrer,  comptroller,  commissioner  of  public  works,  commissioner  of  police 
and  public  buildings,  and  a  city  engineer.  The  area  of  the  city  is  196.25 
square  miles,  of  which,  however,  only  30  square  miles  are  residence  and 
business  districts.  This  territory  is  divided  into  seventeen  representative 
districts  and  wards  and  four  municipal  districts.  The  population  is  esti- 
mated at  315,000. 

New  Orleans  obtains  its  water  supply  from  a  private  company,  of 
which  the  city  owns  nearly  one-fifth  of  the  stock,  and  of  which  the  mayor, 
treasurer  and  commissioner  of  public  works  are  ex-officio  directors.  The 
average  daily  consumption  of  water  is  15,000,000  gallons. 

The  city  has  200  miles  of  paved  streets  and  500  miles  of  unpaved 
streets.  The  police  force  consists  of  300  men  and  is  maintained  at  an 
expense  of  $261,175.16.  There  are  1,550  saloons  in  the  city  which  pay  a 
license  varying  from  $100.00  to  $1,000.00  per  year,  according  to  the  sales 
of  the  preceding  year.  The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  government  for 
the  year  1906  were  $6,338,916.81.  The  valuation  of  all  property  is  $204,- 
585,967.00.  The  tax  rate  amounted  to  $2.20.  The  total  bonded  indebt- 
edness on  January  1,  1907,  was  $19,450,180.00. 

The  present  city  officials,  elected  by  the  people,  are:  Martin  Behrman, 
mayor;  Chas.  R.  Kennedy,  comptroller;  Otto  F.  Briede,  treasurer;  Geo.  S. 
Smith,  commissioner  of  public  works;  Alex  Pujol,  commissioner  of  police 
and  public  buildings;  W.  J.  Hardee,  city  engineer. 


-^^• 


49 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


HENRY   M.  BEARDSLEY 
Mayor  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


SCanaas  Qlttg 


Kansas  City,  the  second  city  in  Missouri,  was  laid  out  in  1838,  and  ob- 
tained its  present  charter  in  1889.  At  the  head  of  the  city  government  is 
the  mayor;  his  term  of  office  is  two  years.  The  legislative  power  rests 
with  an  upper  house  of  aldermen,  consisting  of  fourteen  members  elected 
at  large  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  a  lower  house  of  councilmen  of  four- 
teen members  elected  for  two  years,  one  from  each  ward.  The  city  treas- 
urer, auditor,  police  judge  and  city  attorney  are  elected  biennially.  The 
other  officers  are  appointed  by  the  mayor,  with  the  approval  of  the  upper 
house.  The  board  of  police  commissioners  is  composed  of  three  members, 
of  which  two  are  appointed  by  the  governor  of  the  state,  the  third  being 
the  mayor. 

Kansas  City  has  an  area  of  26.2  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  esti- 
mated by  the  city  authorities  at  255,000. 

The  city  has  a  very  comprehensive  system  of  parks  and  boulevards, 
with  an  area  of  1,890  acres  in  parks,  173.69  acres  in  parkways,  and  46  miles 
of  boulevards  and  park  drives.  The  system  begins  at  the  very  heart  of  the 
city  and  is  well  distributed  over  its  w^hole  area. 

The  city  owns  its  water  plant,  which  was  acquired  by  the  city  in  1895 
at  a  cost  of  over  $4,000,000.00.  It  has  250  miles  of  mains,  and  is  operated 
at  an  expense  of  $759,175.63  for  the  year  ending  April  15th,  1907,  with  an 
additional  $156,635.00  for  interest,  and  $96,990.34  for  improvements. 

The  city  is  now  supplying  its  fire  department  with  new  buildings;  new 
headquarters,  costing  $75,000.00,  having  been  just  completed.  The  city  is 
just  finishing  a  hospital  costing  nearly  $400,000.00,  located  on  high 
grounds  overlooking  the  city. 

There  are  300  miles  of  paved  streets,  and  a  well  equipped  laboratory 
for  the  testing  of  material  as  it  is  laid. 

Kansas  City  has  a  tenement  house  commission,  an  art  commission, 
and  is  planning  the  creation  of  a  public  utilities  commission  to  act  under 
power  recently  conferred  by  the  legislature.  .  ' 

The  school  system  of  Kansas  City  has  four  high  schools  and  fifty-four 
grade  schools,  with  a  total  enrollment  of  nearly  40,000  pupils. 

The  departmental  expenditures  of  the  city  for  the  last  fiscal  year 
amounted  to  $1,950,847.72,  not  including  the  expenditure  for  water  and 
schools,  nor  interest  and  redemption  of  the  city  debt.  The  maintenance  of 
the  police  department  cost  $336,752.12:  of  the  fire  department,  $366,781.51 ; 
street  lighting,  $107,983.65;  parks,  $119,250.16. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  of  property  in  1906  was  $107,290,562.00, 


51 


THE   BOOK   OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


the    tax    rate    being   $13.50.     The    bonded   indebtedness   is  $4,613,900.00, 
against  which  the  sinking  funds  hold  $340,191.01. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Kansas  City,  elected  by  popular  vote,  are: 
Henry  M.  Beardsley,  mayor;  A.  E.  Holmes,  city  treasurer;  D.  V.  Kent,  city 
auditor;  John  N.  Swenson,  city  attorney. 


iln&tanapnltH 


The  City  of  Indianapolis,  the  capital  of  the  state  of  Indiana,  and  the 
largest  city  therein,  was  settled  in  1819  and  became  the  capital  of  the  state 
in  1825.  The  city  is  at  present  working  under  a  legislative  act  providing 
for  government  of  municipalities,  passed  by  the  legislature  in  1905.  Under 
it  the  elective  officers  of  the  city  are  a  mayor,  a  city  judge  and  a  city 
clerk,  while  the  county  treasurer  acts  as  city  treasurer.  The  city  council 
consists  of  one  councilman  from  each  ward,  and  six  additional  council- 
men  elected  at  large.  All  officers  are  elected  for  a  term  of  four  years,  but 
are  ineligible  to  hold  the  same  elective  office  more  than  once  in  any  period 
of  eight  years.  The  council  elects  its  own  presiding  officer.  The  mayor 
appoints  the  heads  of  all  departments  and  has  the  absolute  power  of  re- 
moval. The  area  of  Indianapolis  is  30.77  square  miles,  and  its  population 
is  estimated  at  228,500. 

Indianapolis  gets  its  water  supply  through  a  private  company.  Its 
sewerage  system  comprises  167.66  miles  of  sewers.  The  city  has  470.50 
miles  of  streets,  of  which  119.84  miles  are  paved;  47.86  miles  with  asphalt, 
1.55  miles  with  bitulithic,  41.95  miles  with  brick,  14.85  miles  with  creo- 
soted  pine  block,  3.06  miles  with  creosoted  cedar  block  and  8.03  miles  with 
macadam.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  1,683  arc  lights,  at  a  cost  of  $132,- 
886.24.  Gas  and  gasoline  lamps  were  discontinued  September  15,  1906. 
The  park  area  comprises  1,331  acres;  5  miles  of  parks  and  5  miles  of  boule- 
vards. Its  maintenance  cost  $49,250.00  and  $30,450.00  was  spent  for  im- 
provements. 

The  police  force  numbers  253  men,  with  10,600  arrests  in  1906.  Its 
maintenance  cost  $229,638.51.  There  are  700  saloons  in  the  city,  paying 
each  a  license  of  $350.00,  of  which  $100.00  goes  to  the  county  and  $250.00 
to  the  city.  The  revenue  from  liquor  licenses  last  year  was  $184,750.00. 
The  fire  department,  numbering  251  men,  was  maintained  at  an  expense  of 
$266,960.10.  The  death  rate  of  Indianapolis  for  1906  was  13.61,  with  2,975 
deaths.  The  schools  of  the  city  are  in  control  of  a  board  of  school  com- 
missioners, consisting  of  five  members,  who  are  elected  by  the  people  for  a 


THE  BOOK   OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


term  of  four  years  and  act  entirely  independent  of  the  city.  The  city 
comptroller  acts  as  auditor  of  the  school  commissioners.  There  are  66 
school  buildings  with  an  enrollment  of  30,000  pupils,  taught  by  780  teachers. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city,  not  including  schools,  for  1906  were 
$1,726,847.97,  of  which  $144,641.61  was  for  permanent  improvements.  The 
receipts  amounted  to  $2,059,607.09,  of  which  $1,241,450.38  was  from  taxes. 
The  total  assessed  valuation  of  property  for  1906  is  $158,087,310.00,  and  the 
tax  rate  $21.60,  of  which  $5.70  was  for  schools.  The  bonded  indebtedness 
of  the  city  is  $2,929,800.00,  not  including  $1,206,000.00  school  bonds  and 
$1,072,193.19  improvement  bonds. 

The  present  mayor  of  Indianapolis  is  Charles  A.  Bookwalter,  whose 
term  expires  the  first  Monday  in  January,  1910. 


The  site  of  the  present  business  section  of  St.  Paul,  the  capital  of 
Minnesota,  was  sold  to  an  enterprising  Yankee  in  1839  for  $30.00.  In 
1854  the  town  received  its  first  city  charter.  From  these  small  beginnings 
the  city  has  grown  up  to  a  great  city  with  a  population  estimated  at 
225,000,  and  an  area  of  54.44  square  miles,  divided  into  eleven  wards.  Its 
present  charter  the  city  obtained  in  1900.  The  government  is  placed  in  the 
hands  of  a  bicameral  council,  consisting  of  an  assembly  of  nine  members 
elected  at  large,  and  a  l)oard  of  aldermen,  consisting  of  one  member  from 
each  ward.  The  mayor  and  comptroller  are  elected  for  a  period  of  two 
years.  The  mayor  has  large  powers,  and  appoints  the  board  of  water 
commissioners,  park  commissioners,  police  commissioners,  fire  commis- 
sioners and  workhouse  commissioners,  each  having  five  members;  serving 
five  years  without  pay ;  a  public  works  commission  and  an  alms-house  com- 
mission, each  of  three  members,  serving  three  years.  The  board  of  educa- 
tion of  seven  members,  serving  without  pay  for  three  years,  is  also  ap- 
pointed by  the  mayor.  How  satisfactory  this  system  of  government  is  to 
the  citizens  of  St.  Paul,  may  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  the  present  mayor 
has  been  serving  in  that  capacity  for  the  last  sixteen  years. 

St.  Paul  obtains  its  water  supply  from  a  number  of  spring-fed  lakes 
in  the  vicinity.  The  water  works  were  purchased  from  a  private  company 
in  1882,  and  today  represent  a  value  of  $7,000,000.00.  There  are  290  miles 
of  mains,  and  the  daily  average  pumpage  is  10,000,000  gallons.  The  reve- 
nue from  water  in  1906  was  $324,425.30. 

The  city  lays  just  claim  to  be  the  healthiest  among  the  large  cities 


S3 


THE  BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


ROBERT   A.    SMITH 

Mayor  of  St.  Paul,  Minnesota 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


in  the  country.  Its  death  rate  in  1905  was  9.41,  with  1,788  deaths.  The 
department  of  health  is  in  charge  of  the  garbage  collection.  This  is  done 
by  day  labor  and  also  a  number  of  licensed  farmers.  Most  of  the  garbage 
is  sold  to  farmers,  and  in  1906  yielded  a  revenue  of  $2,665.37.  There  are 
408  miles  of  streets  in  the  city,  of  which  76  miles  are  paved:  30  miles  with 
asphalt;  10  miles  with  brick;  8  miles  with  granite;  8  miles  with  wooden 
blocks  and  20  miles  with  macadam.  The  sewerage  system  comprises  241 
miles  of  sewers.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  3,396  gas  lamps;  1,080  gaso- 
line lamps  and  742  arc  lights,  at  a  total  cost  of  $187,098.46. 

The  police  force  numbers  233  men,  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $212,586.11. 
There  are  397  saloons  in  the  city,  paying  a  license  fee  of  $1,000.00.  The 
revenue  from  that  source  in  1906  was  $397,000.00.  The  fire  department, 
numbering  230  men,  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $242,162.95.  The  school 
system  comprises  four  high  schools  and  fifty-three  grade  schools,  with  an 
average  daily  attendance  of  22,175  pupils,  taught  by  700  teachers,  at  a  total 
cost  of  $713,383.25  and  $35,689.95  for  improvements.  The  park  area  com- 
prises 1,076  acres;  the  expense  for  park  purposes,  including  improvements, 
was  $99,830.40.  The  city  has  just  completed  a  fine  auditorium  building 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  10,000,  at  a  cost  of  $500,000.00,  of  which  one- 
half  is  paid  by  bonds  issued  by  the  city,  and  the  other  half  by  public 
subscription. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  government  in  1906  were  $3,528,- 
852.17,  of  which  $685,478.96  was  spent  for  permanent  improvements.  The 
total  revenue  amounted  to  $3,395,579.37,  including  $2,069,414.58  from  taxes 
and  $161,731.00  from  bonds.  The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property  in 
St.  Paul  is  $102,723,408.00,  and  the  total  tax  rate  $29.60,  including  $21.45 
for  the  city;  $2.78  for  the  state  and  $5.37  for  the  county.  The  bonded 
indebtedness  of  St.  Paul,  on  December  31,  1906,  was  $8,244,000.00,  the 
sinking  funds  containing  $734,329.19. 

The  present  mayor  is  Robert  A.  Smith,  and  the  comptroller  Louis 
r.etz. 


UorI|0Bt^r 


The  city  of  Rochester,  New  York,  was  first  settled  in  1810.  It  was 
incorporated  as  a  village  in  1817,  and  obtained  its  first  charter  in  1834. 
At  present  it  is  governed  under  the  regular  state  charter  for  cities  of  the 
second  class,  passed  by  the  legislature  in  1900.  Under  this  law  the  legis- 
lative power  is  vested  in  a  council,  consisting  of  one  member  from  each 


55 


THEi  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


I 


ward,  and  its  president,  who  is  elected  by  the  people  at  large.  The  mayor, 
the  comptroller  and  the  treasurer  are  elected  for  two  years,  while  the 
heads  of  departments  and  most  other  ofticials  are  appointed  by  the  mayor. 
The  city  of  Rochester  has  an  area  of  18.74  square  miles,  divided  into 
twenty-two  wards.  Its  population,  according  to  the  state  census  for  1905, 
was   181,666,  and  for  1907  is  estimated  at  220,000. 

The  water  supply  of  Rochester  is  derived  from  two  sources ;  one  for 
drinking  purposes  from  lakes  thirty  miles  away  by  gravity,  and  for  manu- 
facturing and  all  other  purposes  from  the  Genesee  river  by  pumping. 
The  water  works,  containing  300  miles  of  mains,  are  valued  at  $8,131,- 
987.54.  The  total  revenue  from  water  rates  was  $453,421.87  in  1906;  the 
operating  expenses  amounted  to  $191,674.01.  The  city  of  Rochester  has 
325  miles  of  streets,  of  which  150  miles  are  paved:  60  miles  with  asphalt; 
30  miles  with  macadam;  35  miles  with  granite;  10  miles  with  brick,  and 
15  miles  with  gravel.  The  park  area  comprises  700  acres,  the  largest  of 
the  parks,  Genesee  Valley  Park,  having  340  acres. 

The  police  department,  numbering  225  men,  making  7,000  arrests, 
was  maintained  in  1906  at  an  expense  of  $279,355.28.  There  are  500  sa- 
loons in  the  city,  paying  each  a  license  fee  of  $750.00,  of  which  the  city 
gets  one-half  and  the  state  the  other.  The  fire  department,  numbering 
259  men,  cost  $371,054.53. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  in  1906  were  $3,447,686.64,  of 
which  $434,445.15  was  paid  for  sinking  funds  and  interest.  The  total 
revenue  of  the  city  was  $3,576,874.83,  including  $2,601,875.00  from  taxes. 
The  valuation  of  all  property  assessed  at  about  actual  value  was  $134,682,- 
940.00,  the  tax  rate  for  city  purposes  $19.31,  and  for  all  purposes  $22.93. 
The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  was  $7,615,000.00,  against  which  the 
sinking  funds  hold  $666,765.00,  to  which  must  be  added  $809,000.00  for 
water  and  park  notes  and  $3,721,333.56  for  improvement  bonds. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Rochester,  their  terms  expiring  Decem- 
ber 31,  1907,  are:  James  G.  Cutler,  mayor;  Hiram  H.  Edgerton,  president 
of  the  common  council;  Samuel  B.  Williams,  comptroller,  and  Lyman 
M.  Otis,  city  treasurer. 


THE  BOOK   OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Denver,  the  capital  of  and  largest  city  in  the  state  of  Colorado,  had  its 
beginning  in  1858,  and  received  its  first  city  charter  in  1861.  Its  present 
charter  was  adopted  by  popular  vote  in  1904.  Under  it  the  legislative 
powers  are  vested  in  a  bicameral  council,  consisting  of  a  board  of  super- 
visors of  seven  members,  elected  for  four  years,  and  a  board  of  aldermen, 
consisting  of  one  member  from  each  ward,  elected  for  two  years,  both 
bodies  electing  their  own  officers.  Any  measure  passed  by  the  council  may 
be  referred  to  popular  vote  upon  petition  of  twenty-five  per  cent  of  the 
electors,  and  any  proposition  may  be  placed  before  the  council  by  a  peti- 
tion of  the  same  number  of  voters,  and  must  either  be  passed  without 
alteration  by  that  body,  or  referred  to  popular  vote.  The  executive  power 
of  the  city  is  vested  in  a  mayor,  attorney,  clerk,  auditor  and  treasurer  and 
several  county  officials  who  are  elected  for  a  term  of  four  years.  All  other 
executive  officers  are  appointed  by  the  mayor  without  confirmation.  The 
first  mayor  elected  under  the  new  charter  was  Robert  W.  Speer,  the  present 
executive. 

The  area  of  the  city  of  Denver  is  59  square  miles,  divided  into  sixteen 
wards.  Its  population  is  estimated  by  the  census  bureau  for  1906  at 
151,920,  and  by  the  city  authorities  for  1907  at  200,000.  The  city  has  1,200 
miles  of  streets,  of  which  40  miles  are  paved,  most  of  them  with  asphalt. 
The  city  has  a  fine  park  system,  consisting  of  twenty-one  parks  with  a 
total  area  of  1,029  acres.  Much  work  is  being  done  in  cleaning  and  beauti- 
fying the  city.  One  of  the  improvanents  instituted  by  the  mayor  was  the 
giving  away  by  the  city  of  shade  trees  to  those  who  would  plant  and  care 
for  them.  On  last  Arbor  Day  the  city  gave  away  20,000  of  these  trees. 
Two  children's  playgrounds  were  established  a  year  ago,  and  the  city  is 
now  building  Denver's  first  public  bath  and  swimming  pool,  at  a  cost  of 
$85,000.00. 

The  city  is  at  present  carrying  out  many  public  improvements,  and  is 
planning  still  more.  Among  the  large  undertakings  is  the  building  of  the 
East  Denver  sanitary  sewer,  at  a  cost  of  about  $250,000.00.  There  is 
already  completed  an  auditorium  with  a  seating  capacity  of  9,000,  at  a 
cost  of  $560,OCX3.00;  a  library  building  at  a  cost  of  $250,000.00,  and  a  wel- 
come arch  at  a  cost  of  $20,000.00.  There  is  further  planned  a  museum  of 
natural  history,  at  a  cost  of  $150,000.00;  the  walling  of  Cherry  Creek  and 
the  construction  of  a  parkway  along  the  stream,  thus  turning  an  eye-sore 
into  a  beauty  spot. 

The  city  receives  its  water  supply  at  present  from  a  private  company 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


ROBERT  W.  SPEER 
Mayor  of  Denver,  Colorado 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


whose  franchise  expires  in  1910.  The  school  system  of  Denver  is  main- 
tained at  a  cost  of  nearly  $1,000,000.00.  There  are  seventy  school  build- 
ings, with  an  enrollment  of  35,000  pupils,  taught  by  700  teachers.  The 
assessed  valuation  of  all  property  in  Denver  for  1906,  equal  to  about  60 
per  cent  of  the  actual  value,  was  $115,052,910.00;  the  total  tax  rate  for  all 
purposes  $32.60.  The  bonded  indebtedness  on  January,  1,  1907,  was 
$1,251,500.00,  against  which  the  sinking  funds  held  $421,376.00.  This 
does  not  include  assessment  bonds  for  $2,177,100.00,  nor  school  bonds 
amounting  to  $605,000.00. 


Slna  Ang^kjs 


The  city  of  Los  Angeles,  known  for  its  beauty  and  for  the  healthful- 
ness  of  its  mild,  equable  climate,  was  settled  by  the  Spaniards  in  1781. 
In  1851  it  received  its  first  city  charter.  Its  present  charter  was  adopted 
in  1888  and  amended  in  1903  and  again  in  1905.  Under  it  the  legislative 
power  is  vested  in  a  council,  consisting  of  one  member  from  each  of  the 
nine  wards,  elected  for  two  years.  The  executive  officers,  elected  by  pop- 
ular vote  for  two  years,  are:  Mayor,  city  clerk,  city  attorney,  city  treas- 
urer, auditor,  tax  collector,  assessor  and  seven  members  of  the  board  of 
education.  All  other  officers,  commissions  and  boards  are  appointed  by 
the  mayor,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  council.  The  charter  contains  pro- 
visions for  the  initiative  and  referendum,  and  also  for  the  recall.  Any 
ordinance  that  may  be  petitioned  for  by  15  per  cent  of  the  voters  must 
be  at  once  passed  by  the  city  council  without  alteration  within  twenty 
days.  If  vetoed,  and  failing  of  passage  by  the  council  over  the  veto,  then 
the  ordinance  must  be  submitted  to  popular  vote  at  a  special  election  to  be 
called  within  five  days.  If  the  petition  for  an  ordinance  is  signed  by 
less  than  15  per  cent  but  at  least  5  per  cent  of  the  voters,  then  such  ordi- 
nance without  alteration  must  be  submitted  by  the  council  to  a  vote  of 
the  people  at  the  next  general  municipal  election.  Any  ordinance,  except 
urgency  measures,  but  especially  franchise  ordinances,  must  be  submitted 
for  approval  to  a  vote  of  the  people.  Under  the  recall  the  holder  of  any 
elective  office  may  be  removed  by  a  vote  of  the  people.  If  25  per  cent  of 
the  voters  petition  for  the  removal  of  an  officer,  an  election  must  be  held 
not  less  than  thirty  days,  nor  more  than  forty  days,  from  the  date  of  the 
filing  of  the  petition.  Any  person  subject  to  removal  may  be  a  candidate 
to  succeed  himself,  and  the  clerk  shall  place  his  name  on  the  official  ballot 
without  nomination,  unless  otherwise  requested.     If    some    other    person 


59 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


A.   C.   HARPER 
Mayor  of  Los  Angeles,  California 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES     |   UNIVERSITY 


receives  the  highest  number  of  votes,  the  incumbent  is  deemed  removed 
from  the  office  upon  the  qualification  of  his  successor.  The  area  of  Los 
Angeles  is  44  square  miles.  Its  population  for  1907  is  estimated  at  290,000. 
The  city's  growth  during  the  last  six  years  was  unprecedented.  Its  pop- 
ulation in  1900  was  only  102,479. 

With  its  population  its  industries  have  increased  in  the  same  propor- 
tions. On  June  12  the  people  'of  the  city  by  a  vote  of  ten  to  one  decided 
to  expend  $23,000,000.00  for  a  new  water  system.  Water  is  to  be  brought 
two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  miles  across  the  desert  and  through  moun- 
tain tunnels.  With  this  water  there  will  also  be  brought  electrical  power 
at  not  less  than  48,000  horse  power.  This  power,  it  is  expected,  will  cause 
great  industries  to  spring  up  in  Los  Angeles.  In  anticipation  of  a  pop- 
ulation of  1,000,000  the  city's  officers  are  now  at  work  planning  a  city 
which  will  take  care  of  that  number.  New  public  buildings  are  being 
planned,  conduits  for  burying  wires,  trunk  sewers  and  streets  are  being 
built.  The  city  has  ceased  doing  things  on  a  small  scale.  Everything  in 
Los  Angeles  is  now  being  done  on  a  broad  and  big  scale  because  the  city 
officials  claim  that  the  size  of  the  future  city  is  no  longer  an  uncertainty. 

With  the  coming  of  the  Owens  river  water,  to  be  brought  two 
hundred  and  sixty-seven  miles,  annexation  will  undoubtedly  follow.  San 
Pedro,  a  seaport  city,  will  probably  be  the  first  city  to  be  annexed.  That 
will  give  the  metropolis  of  Southern  California  the  harbor  necessary  to 
make  the  city  big  and  powerful.  Other  cities  stretching  from  the  moun- 
tains to  the  sea  will  probably  be  annexed  as  soon  as  the  harbor  becomes 
a  part  of  the  metropolis. 

Los  Angeles  has  a  park  system  containing  an  area  of  3,720  acres. 
The  city  obtains  its  water  supply  at  present  from  the  Los  Angeles  river  by 
pumping  and  gravity,  "purified  by  a  system  of  sieves,"  the  average  dail}' 
consumption  being  30,000,000  gallons.  The  receipts  from  water  rates 
amounted  to  $800,000.00,  while  the  cost  of  operation  and  maintenance  was 
less  than  $120,000.00.  Nearly  $1,000,000.00  was  spent  for  improvements 
and  extensions,  largely  paid  from  the  proceeds  of  bond  sales.  Los  Angeles 
has  over  600  miles  of  streets,  of  which  more  than  300  miles  are  paved,  most 
of  them  with  gravel.  Nearly  20  miles  are  paved  with  asphalt,  2  miles  with 
granite,  and  5  miles  with  macadam. 

The  assessed  valuation,  equal  to  about  one-half  of  the  actual  value 
of  all  property,  in  1906  was  $1,910,420.78;  the  city  tax  rate  $12.00.  The 
bonded  indebtedness  in  August,  1906,  was  $7,246,975.00,  to  which  must  be 
added  $754,000.00  school  bonds. 

A.  C  Harper  is  the  present  mayor  of  the  city. 


61 


THE  BOOK   OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  city  of  Omaha  was  first  incorporated  fifty  years  ago.  The  city 
is  governed  under  the  provisions  of  a  law  known  as  "City  Charter  for 
Metropolitan  Cities"  adopted  by  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  Nebraska 
and  amended  more  or  less  by  each  succeeding  session  of  the  legislature. 
The  elective  city  officers  are  elected  for  a  term  of  three  years  and  consist 
of  a  mayor,  twelve  councilmen  representing  twelve  wards,  city  attorney, 
city  clerk,  city  comptroller;  city  treasurer  (who  is  by  law  also  county 
treasurer),  and  1)uilding  inspector.  Other  officers  are  appointed  by  the 
mayor  and  confirmed  by  the  city  council.  The  fire  and  police  depart- 
ments are  under  the  control  of  a  fire  and  police  commission,  four  in  num- 
ber, appointed  by  the  g'overnor  of  the  state,  the  mayor  also  being  a  member. 
The  board  is  non-partisan.  The  library  commission  and  park  commission 
are  appointed  by  the  mayor  with  the  approval  of  the  city  covmcil.  The 
water  commission  consists  of  six  members  elected  by  the  people,  being 
non-partisan  politically.  Three  are  Republicans  and  three  Democrats.  This 
board  was  created  especially  by  the  legislature  to  secure  municipal  owner- 
ship of  the  water  works,  being  owned  by  a  private  company,  whose  fran- 
chise and  contract  have  expired.  The  area  of  the  city  is  24.5  square  miles, 
and  its  population  for  1907  is  estimated  at  150,000. 

The  annual  tax  levied  for  administering  the  afi^airs  of  the  city  was 
fixed  by  the  last  legislature  at  $900,000.00,  for  general  purposes,  and 
$250,000.00  for  sinking  fund  purposes,  making  a  total  tax  to  be  levied  for 
1908  of  $1,150,000.00.  The  total  expenses  of  the  city  government  for  1906 
were  $1,014,745.09.  On  September  1,  1907,  the  bonded  indebtedness  of  the 
city  of  Omaha  was  $5,933,500.00. 

The  park  system  consists  of  twelve  parks  with  an  acreage  of  613.26 
acres  and  9.58  miles  of  boulevards  finished.  New  parks  proposed,  and 
practically  secured,  contain  261.47  acres;  10.25  miles  of  boulevards  are 
under  construction.  The  fire  department  numbers  172  men.  Its  expenses 
for  1907  will  be  approximately  $170,000.00.  The  police  department  con- 
sists of  100  men.     Its  expenses  averaged  for  a  number  of  years  $110,000.00. 

The  school  district  of  Omaha  is  an  independent  branch  of  govern- 
ment, the  directors  beihg  elected  by  the  people  at  a  separate  election.  The 
general  expenses  for  maintaining  the  schools  for  the  year  ending  June 
30,  1907,  were  $537,321.00.  This  does  not  include  cost  of  new  buildings 
or  the  sinking  fund.  The  school  funds  are  derived  from  direct  taxation, 
state  apportionment  and  licenses  including  "city  liquor"  licenses.  Receipts 
for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1907,  were:  Tax  collections,' $378,545.90;  state 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


;i])|)()rtionment,  $40,419.79;  liquor  licenses,  $245,000.00;  miscellaneous  and 
license  receipts,  $37,779.32,  or  a  total  of  $701,745.01.  The  bonded  indebted- 
ness of  the  school  district  of  Omaha  is  $775,000.00,  with  a  sinking  fund  of 
$270,523.00. 

The  public  works  department  is  a  new  department  combining  several 
departments,  and  created  by  the  last  legislature.  It  places  all  public  work 
of  tlie  city  under  the  control  of  the  city  engineer,  who  has  general  charge 
and  supervision  of  the  construction  and  repair  of  all  public  works,  ordered 
by  the  mayor  and  city  council,  except  street  cleaning  and  sweeping.  It  is 
a  department  absolute  in  itself,  as  the  city  eaigineer  has  power  and  au- 
thority to  fix  the  wages,  appoint  and  dismiss  all  inspectors,  foremen  and 
laborers  and  other  employes  necessary  to  carry  out  the  work  of  his  depart- 
ment, subject  to  the  extent  and  within  the  limits  of  funds  provided  for  this 
department  by  the  tax  levied,  which  amount  has  been  fixed  by  the  legisla- 
ture. The  city  engineer  also  has  charge  of  paving,  sewerage  and  asphalt 
repairs,  etc.  All  public  work  by  franchised  corporations  or  private  parties 
on  streets  or  alleys,  must  be  done  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  city  engineer. 

The  city  has  390.46  miles  of  streets,  154.5  miles  of  alleys,  and  162.27 
miles  of  sewers;  96.66  miles  of  streets  are  paved,  41.44  miles  with  asphalt, 
4.86  miles  with  cedar  block,  2.06  miles  with  cypress  block,  19.73  miles  with 
Colorado  sandstone,  5.28  miles  with  granite,  0.45  with  Kansas  stone,  18.75 
miles  with  vitrified  brick,  and  4.07  miles  with  macadam.  The  city  work  for 
the  year  1907  is  extensive.  It  is  estimated  that  $200,000.00  for  new  paving 
and  $300,000.00  for  new  sewers  will  be  expended,  and  other  public  works 
will  aggregate  $500,000.00  more. 

The  assessed  valuation  made  at  "fair  cash  value,"  for  1906,  was  $106,- 
016,500.00;  the  tax  rate  for  city  and  school  purposes  $12.96. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Omaha  are:  Jam.es  C.  Dahlman,  mayor; 
C.  O.  Lobeck,  comptroller;  Robert  O.  Fink,  treasurer;  Andrew  Rosewater, 
city  engineer;  Dan  C.  Butler,  city  clerk. 


Qlniumbua 


The  city  of  Columbus,  the  capital  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  was  laid  out  in 
1812  ,and  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1816.  In  1834  it  received  its  first  city 
charter.  At  present  it  is  governed  under  the  Municipal  Code  of  Ohio.  The 
area  of  the  city  is  15.9  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at 
180,000. 

Columbus  obtains  it  water  supply  from  the  Scioto  river  by  pumping. 


63 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


WILLIAM    E.    SPRATT 
Mayor  of  St,  Joseph,  Missouri 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


It  owns  its  water  works,  comprising  200  miles  of  mains.  The  city  has  360 
miles  of  unpaved  streets,  and  130  miles  of  paved  streets,  of  which  80  miles 
are  paved  with  brick,  20  miles  with  asphalt,  and  10  miles  each  with 
macadam,  granite  and  cobblestone.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  1,100  arc 
lamps,  fnrnished  by  the  municipal  lighting  plant  built  in  1899.  There 
are  also  400  incandescent  and  600  gasoline  lamps.  The  city  has  42  schools, 
with  an  enrollment  of  20,000  pupils,  taught  by  550  teachers.  The  police  de- 
partment numbers  183  men,  making  5,590  arrests  in  1906,  and  was  main- 
tained at  a  cost  of  $157,194.28.  There  are  600  saloons  in  the  city,  paying 
each  a  license  fee  of  $350.00,  of  which  one-half  goes  to  the  city.  The  reve- 
nue from  that  source  in  1906  amounted  to  $90,887.69.  The  fire  depart- 
ment numbers  191  men,  and  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $216,403.36.  The 
entire  expense   of   the  department  of  public  safety  was  $380,891,31. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  run  up  to  $3,500,000.00.  The  as- 
sessed valuation  of  all  property,  equal  to  about  one-half  of  the  actual  value, 
for  1906  was  $83,194,600.00,  and  the  total  tax  rate  was  $30.30.  The  bonded 
indebtednessof  the  city  is  $12,098,100.00,  including  $2,342,000.00  for  im- 
])rovement  bonds  paid  by  special  assessment,  but  not  including  $917,000.00 
school  bonds.    The  sinking  funds  contain  $4,427,310.00. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Columbus  are:  DeWitt  C.  Badger,  mayor; 
S.  C.  Noble,  auditor;  Chas.  H.  Smith,  treasurer ;  Geo.  S.  Marshall,  solicitor ; 
John  T.  Barr,  city  clerk;  James  W.  Meek,  Geo.  D.  Jones  and  John  F.  An- 
drix,  board  of  public  service. 


^t.  J00^ptj 


The  city  of  St.  Joseph  in  Missouri  was  first  settled  in  1823  as  a  trading 
post.  It  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1851,  and  received  its  first  city 
charter  in  1853.  The  city  is  at  present  governed  under  the  general  laws 
of  the  state  providing  for  government  of  cities  of  the  second  class.  The 
legislative  powers  are  vested  in  a  common  council,  composed  of  two 
aldermen  from  each  ward,  of  whom  one  is  elected  by  the  ward  and  the  other 
by  the  voters  of  the  city  at  large.  They  are  elected  for  two  years  and 
choose  their  own  officers.  The  mayor,  city  attorney,  city  auditor  and  city 
treasurer  are  also  elected  for  a  period  of  two  years,  and  the  mayor  ap- 
points all  city  officers  with  the  consent  of  the  council.  St.  Joseph  has  an 
area  of  9.5  square  miles,  and  its  population  for  1907  is  estimated  at  120,000. 

Its  water  supply  is  obtained  from  the  Missouri  river,  purified  by  me- 
chanical filtration,  and  furnished  by  a  private  company.    The    sewerage 


65 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


I 


system  comprises  76  miles  of  sewers,  the  sewage  being  discharged  into 
the  river  below  the  pumping  station.  There  are  280  miles  of  streets,  of 
which  61  miles  are  paved;  10  miles  with  asphalt,  30  miles  with  macadam,  2 
miles  with  granite,  19  miles  with  brick.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  508 
arc  lamps  from  a  municipally  owned  and  operated  lighting  plant.  St. 
Joseph  has  38  schools,with  an  enrollment  of  42,467  pupils,  taught  by  290 
teachers  at  an  expense  of  nearly  $250,000.00.  The  city  is  at  present  build- 
ing a  large  auditorium  and  convention  hall. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property,  equal  to  about  60  per  cent  of 
the  actual  value,  is  $32,657,900.00,  for  1907,  and  the  tax  rate  $27.00.  The 
total  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city,  February  1,  1907,  was  $1,131,050.00, 
not  including  $977,066.00  school  district  bonds. 

W.  E.  Spratt  is  the  present  mayor  of  St.  Joseph. 


I 


The  city  of  Atlanta,  the  capital  of  the  state  of  Georgia,  was  first  settled 
in  1839.  It  received  its  first  city  charter  in  1847,  and  became  the  capital 
of  the  state  in  1878.  It  is  at  present  governed  under  a  charter,  which  was 
revised  in  1900.  Atlanta  has  a  bicameral  council,  consisting  of  a  board 
of  aldermen  of  eight  members,  elected  at  large  for  three  years,  and  a 
council  of  sixteen  members,  elected  for  two  years,  two  from  each  ward  but 
chosen  at  large.  The  mayor  is  elected  for  two  years,  as  are  also  the  attor- 
ney, comptroller,  commissioner  of  public  works,  marshal,  engineer,  tax  col- 
lector, sexton,  and  treasurer.  The  mayor  has  the  appointment  of  a  license 
inspector  and  public  weighers,  while  all  other  appointments  are  con- 
trolled by  the  council.  The  area  of  the  city  is  12  square  miles,  divided  into 
eight  wards,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  105,000. 

The  city  obtains  its  water  supply  from  the  Chattahoochee  river  by 
pumping,  purified  by  sedimentation  and  filtration.  The  water  works  were 
built  in  1874  and  comprise  150  miles  of  mains,  with  an  average  daily 
pumpage  of  9,000,000  gallons. 

The  police  department  numbers  160  men,  while  the  number  of  arrests 
reached  16,000.  There  are  90  saloons  in  the  city,  each  paying  a  license  of 
SI, 000.00,  'though  for  the  sale  of  beer  only  the  license  is  $250.00.  The  fire 
department  numbers  110  men.  There  are  200  miles  of  streets,  of  which 
70  miles  are  paved;  50  miles  with  granite,  10  miles  with  asphalt,  5  miles 
with  brick,  and  5  miles  with  macadam.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  450 
incandescent  electric  and  830  arc  lights. 


THE   BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property,  about  60  per  cent  of  the  actual 
value,  for  1907  is  $80,067,113.00,  and  the  city  tax  rate  $12.50.  The  total 
bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  on  January  1,  1907,  was  $3,495,500.00. 

The  present  city  officials  are:  W.  R.  Joyner,  mayor;  J.  L.  Mayson, 
attorney;  J.  H.  Goldsmith,  comptroller;  H.  L.  Collier,  commissioner  of 
public  works;  R.  M.  Clayton,  engineer;  R.  E.  Riley,  marshal;  E.  T.  Payne, 
tax  collector;  T.  J.  Peeples,  treasurer,  and  H.  H.  Barefield,  sexton.  Their 
terms  expire  in  January,  1909. 


Albany,  the  capital  of  the  state  of  New  York,  is  next  to  Jamestown, 
Virginia,  and  St.  Augustine,  Florida,  the  oldest  settlement  in  the  Union. 
About  1540  a  French  trading  post  was  set  up  there,  and  in  1614  the  Dutch 
established  a  factory.  The  village  was  temporarily  abandoned  in  1626 
during  a  war  with  the  Mohawks.  In  1686  it  received  a  city  charter.  It 
became  the  permanent  capital  of  the  state  in  1797.  At  present  the  city 
is  governed  under  a  state  law  providing  for  government  of  the  cities  of 
the  second  class.  The  area  of  Albany  is  10.8  square  miles,  and  its  popu- 
lation in  1906  was  estimated  at  98,537. 

Its  water  supply  is  partly  taken  by  gravity  from  an  artificial  lake  five 
miles  west,  and  partly  pumped  from  the  river.  This  is  filtered  by  a  plant 
having  eight  filter  beds,  filtering  15,000,000  gallons  of  water  daily.  The 
city  has  90  miles  of  paved  streets,  of  which  35  miles  are  paved  with 
granite,  25  miles  with  brick,  12  miles  with  asphalt,  and  5  miles  with 
macadam.  The  unpaved  streets  have  a  length  of  50  miles.  The  parks, 
11  in  number,  contain  305  acres. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  of  all  property  was  $74,051,905.00  for 
1906,  and  the  tax  rate  $19.40.  The  total  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city 
on  January  1,  1907,  was  $3,487,758.00,  against  which  the  sinking  funds 
held  $1,585,146.00. 

Charles  H.  Gaus  is  mayor,  and  Howard  N.  Fuller  is  comptroller. 


87 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


BRAND  WHITLOCK 
Maypr  of  Toledo,  Ohio 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  city  of  Toledo  was  settled  in  1832,  and  obtained  its  first  city 
charter  in  1837.  It  is  now  governed  under  the  Ohio  Municipal  Code. 
The  city  council  consists  of  sixteen  members,  of  which  three  are  elected 
at  large,  and  the  others  one  from  each  ward.  The  mayor,  solicitor,  treas- 
urer, auditor  and  the  board  of  public  service  are  elected  for  two  years. 
The  mayor  appoints  the  heads  of  all  the  departments  with  the  concur- 
rence of  the  council,  and  in  case  the  council  does  not  concur  in  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  board  of  public  safety,  this  is  appointed  by  the  governor  of 
the  state.  The  area  of  Toledo  is  27.5  square  miles,  divided  into  thirteen 
wards,  and  its  population  is  estimated   at   present  at   185,000. 

The  water  supply  of  Toledo  is  obtained  from  the  Maumee  river.  The 
consumption  is  10,000,000  gallons.  There  are  about  160  miles  of  mains.  A 
new  filtration  plant  was  erected  recently  at  a  cost  of  $750,000.00.  The 
streets  have  a  total  length  of  380  miles,  of  which  160  miles  are  paved; 
35  miles  with  asphalt,  30  miles  with  granite,  70  miles  with  brick,  10  miles 
with  wooden  block,  and  15  miles  with  macadam.  The  sewerage  system 
comprises  190  miles  of  sewers.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  1,200  arc 
lights.  The  parks  contain  an  area  of  910  acres.  The  police  force  num- 
bers 143  men,  making  5,000  arrests.  There  are  900  saloons  in  the  city, 
paying  a  license  fee  of  $350.00  each,  of  which  one-half  goes  into  the  city 
treasury.  The  fire  force  numbers  159  men.  There  are  42  public  schools 
in  Toledo,  with  an  enrollment  of  25,000  pupils,  and  maintained  at  a  cost 
of  $700,000.00. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  amount  to  $3,000,000.00,  not  includ- 
ing the  schools.  The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property,  which  is  about 
40  per  cent  of  the  actual  value,  is  $77,318,280.00,  and  the  tax  rate  $32.00. 
The  bonded  indebtedness,  on  December,  31,  1906,  was  $7,292,114.00, 
against  which  the  sinking  funds  held  $1,272,845.00.  In  addition  to  this 
there  is  a  special  assessment  debt  of  $1,063,227.00. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Toledo  are:  Brand  Whitlock,  mayor;  R. 
G.  Bacon,  auditor;  John  Spielbusch,  treasurer ;  Charles  Northup,  solicitor, 
and  Oscar  Sabin,  (Jeorge  W.  Tonson  and  Joseph  Jackson,  board  of  public 
service. 


«9 


"THE   BOOK   OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


EMERSON    COATSWORTH 
Mayor  of  Torouto,  Canada 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


©0r0ttta 


The  City  of  Toronto,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Ontario  in  Can- 
ada, was  first  settled  in  1749.  In  1834  it  was  incorporated  as  a  city.  The 
government  is  vested  in  a  council,  consisting  of  the  mayor  and  four  mem- 
bers forming  the  board  of  control,  being  elected  annually,  and  eighteen 
aldermen,  three  from  each  of  the  six  wards  into  which  the  city  is  divided. 
The  board  of  control  is  the  executive  body  and  has  the  preparation  of  the 
annual  estimates;  the  carrying  on  of  public  works  authorized  by  the  coun- 
cil and  the  general  administration  of  the  afifairs  of  the  city,  except  as  to 
the  departments  of  education  and  police.  The  first  is  under  the  control 
of  the  board  of  education,  elected  annually  by  the  citizens,  and  the  latter 
under  the  board  of  police  commissioners,  which  consists  of  the  mayor, 
county  judge  and  the  police  magistrate.  The  land  area  of  the  city  is  17.17 
square  miles,  and  its  population  at  the  present  time  is  estimated  at  300,000. 

There  are  276  miles  of  streets  and  84.25  miles  of  lanes  in  the  city.  Of 
the  streets  80.17  miles  are  unimproved.  Sixty-three  and  seventy-one  hun- 
dredths miles  are  paved  with  asphalt;  40.53  miles  with  cedar  block;  15.58 
miles  with  brick;  54.39  miles  with  macadam;  0.51  miles  with  wood;  1.74 
miles  with  stone  block;  5.83  miles  with  gravel;  5.70  miles  with  tar  ma- 
cadam, and  5.98  miles  with  bitulithic.  The  sewerage  system  contains 
240.31  miles.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  1,283  arc  lights  and  971  gas 
lamps. 

The  city  owns  its  water  works,  consisting  of  three  pumping  stations 
and  286.62  miles  of  water  mains.  The  revenue  from  water  rates  amounts 
to  $510,000.00.  The  fire  department  consists  of  235  men  and  the  police 
force  numbers  258  men.  In  1906  they  made  16,018  arrests.  The  death 
rate  of  the  city  is  15.07.  The  city  has  a  park  system  containing  1,660 
acres;  Island  park,  with  389  acres,  and  High  park  with  375  acres,  are  the 
largest  parks.  The  school  system  comprises  55  schools,  with  an  enroll- 
ment of  A?>,777  pupils  and  a  teaching  force  of  948  teachers. 

The  appropriations  for  the  year  1907  amount  to  $4,989,341.00,  the  rev- 
enues, outside  of  taxation,  are  estimated  at  $1,604,597.00,  including  $510,- 
000.00  from  water  and  $483,000.00  from  street  railways  who,  in  1906, 
paid  a  mileage  compensation  of  $78,445.08  and  a  percentage  of  $348,963.48 
to  the  city,  or  a  total  of  $427,408.56.  The  mileage  payable  to  the  city  an- 
nually is  at  the  rate  of  $8.00  per  single  track  mile  and  the  portion  of  the 
gross  receipts  of  the  company  payable  to  the  city  ranges  from  8  per  cent 
for  receipts  below  $1,000,000.00  to  20  per  cent  for  receipts  over  $3,000,- 
000.00. 


71 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


JAMES   H.   ASHDOWN 
Mayor  of  Winnipac,  Canada 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  total  assessed  valuation  of  all  property  for  1907  is  $184,283,085.00 
and  the  tax  rate  $18.50.  The  total  amount  of  tax  to  be  levied  for  city  and 
school  purposes  is  $3,409,237.00.  The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  is 
$25,412,644.06,  against  which  the  sinking  funds  hold  $7,176,105.56. 

The  present  members  of  the  board  of  control  are:  Emerson  Coats- 
worth,  mayor;  William  P.  Hubbard,  William  S.  Harrison,  Horatio  C. 
Hocken,  John  J.  Ward. 


Winnipeg  is  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Manitoba,  Canada,  and  was 
incorporated  as  a  city  in  1874.  Its  government,  under  a  charter  granted 
by  the  provincial  legislature,  is  carried  on  by  a  council  composed  of  four- 
teen aldermen,  two  elected  from  each  of  the  seven  wards  and  a  board  of 
control,  elected  by  the  people  consisting  of  four  members  and  the  mayor. 
Each  alderman  holds  office  for  two  years  and  the  mayor  for  one  year.  All 
officials  are  appointed  by  the  council.  The  area  of  the  city  is  22  square 
miles,  and  its  population  in  1907  is  estimated  at  111,717. 

The  water  supply  of  the  city  is  obtained  from  an  immense  artesian 
well  and  is  distributed  through  125  miles  of  mains.  There  are  150  miles 
of  graded  streets;  22  miles  paved  with  asphalt,  35  miles  with  macadam  and 
18  miles  with  block.  The  sewerage  system  comprises  110  miles  of  sewers. 
The  city  owns  316  acres  of  public  parks  and  70  miles  of  boulevards. 
Winnipeg  owns  its  own  street  lighting  plant,  operating  300  arc  lights; 
an  asphalt  plant  and  a  stone  quarry.  There  are  20  public  schools  with  an 
attendance  of  10,000  pupils,  taught  by  150  teachers. 

The  city  recently  authorized  the  council  to  borrow  $3,250,000.00  for 
tlie  installation  of  a  power  plant  on  the  Winnipeg  river  where  a  total  of 
50,000  horse  power  can  be  developed.  Power  will  be  sold  at  $18.00  per 
horse  power  per  annum,  which  amount  will  be  reduced  when  the  plant  is 
fully  developed  to  $12.46.    The  city  has  also  a  municipal  gas  plant. 

The  total  value  of  real  property  in  the  city  for  1906  was  $84,752,580.00, 
in  addition  to  which  there  was  a  business  tax  assessment  of  $10,887,175.00. 
The  rate  of  taxation  was  $17.90. 

J.  H.  Ashdown  is  the  present  mayor  of  Winnipeg. 


73 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


montrpal 


Montreal,  the  largest  and  most  important  city  of  the  Dominion  of 
Canada  in  the  province  of  Quebec,  was  founded  by  Paul  de  Maisonneuve 
in  1642.  The  history  of  the  founding  of  Montreal  is  full  of  heroical  deeds. 
The  first  settlers  were  in  constant  danger  from  the  wild  and  terror-strik- 
ing Iroquois,  but  they  could  not  be  deterred  from  the  design,  which  they 
had  formed,  for  establishing  on  the  shores  of  the  St.  Lawrence  a  French  col- 
ony. The  original  population  of  Ville  Marie  was  18  people.  Today  there 
is  a  great  city  which,  with  the  many  suburban  municipalities,  reaches  a 
population  of  500,000. 

Two  rivers  surround  the  city;  Mount  Royal,  which  towers  over  it,  has 
been  converted  into  a  fine  park.  Its  residential  palaces,  public  buildings, 
universities,  colleges,  churches,  hospitals,  educational  and  charitable  insti- 
tutions, leave  a  deep  impression  upon  the  stranger  who  visits  the  metropo- 
lis. The  population  of  Montreal  is  composed  of  two-thirds  of  French  and 
one-third  of  English  speaking  people,  each  race  retaining  its  individuality 
and  character;  yet  a  most  peaceable,  law-abiding  and  happy  community.  It 
is  claimed  that  Montreal  has  fewer  policemen  per  thousand  of  its  popula- 
tion than  any  city  in  America. 

The  civic  affairs  of  Montreal  are  controlled  by  a  board  of  thirty-six 
aldermen  and  the  mayor  who  are  elected  for  two  years  by  a  vote  of  all  the 
taxpayers.  The  public  schools  are  controlled  by  boards  of  commissioners; 
one  for  Catholics  and  one  for  Protestants.  The  Protestants'  schools  were 
attended  by  10,991  pupils  during  last  year  and  the  Catholic  schools  by  21,- 
515  pupils.  These  boards  of  commissioners  are  elected  by  the  legislature 
and  the  city  council. 

The  area  of  the  city  is  12^^  square  miles.  There  are  220  miles  of 
streets,  of  which  35  miles  are  paved.  They  are  lighted  by  1,522  electric 
arc  lights  and  340  gas  lamps.  The  sewerage  system  comprises  214  miles 
of  brick  sewers.  The  city  has  35  public  parks,  with  a  total  area  of  615 
acres. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  for  1906  were  $4,417,634.00,  the  rev- 
enue amounting  to  $4,541,056.00.  The  taxable  property  is  assessed  at 
$200,600,344.00,  while  the  property  exempt  from  taxation  has  a  value  of 
$54,048,795.00.  The  city's  debt  amounts  to  $31,669,000.00.  H.  A.  Ekers 
is  the  present  mayor  of  Montreal. 


74 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Atlanttr  Qlttg 


Atlantic  City,  in  tlie  state  of  New  Jersey,  the  famous  seaside  resort  situ- 
ated on  Absecon  Island  in  Atlantic  County,  New  Jersey,  and  separated 
from  the  mainland  by  four  or  five  miles  of  meadow  and  by  a  narrow  strait, 
was  settled  as  early  as  1780,  but  as  late  as  1852  there  were  but  seven 
houses  there,  and  its  existence  as  a  city  and  summer  resort  really  dates 
from  the  completion  of  the  Camden  and  Atlantic  railway  in  1854,  when 
the  name  of  Atlantic  City  was  adopted.  The  government  is  administered 
under  the  charter  of  1902,  which  places  the  term  of  the  mayor  and  all  mu- 
nicipal officers  at  three  years.  In  April,  1902,  the  city  suflfered  from  a  disas- 
trous fire,  but  under  the  terms  of  the  new  charter  adopted  a  few  months 
later,  all  buildings  hereafter  constructed  within  the  city  limits  must  be 
fire-proof.  The  city  has  an  area  of  13  square  miles,  and  its  resident  popu- 
lation is  40,000,  while  its  summer  population  is  estimated  at  more  than 
250,000.  There  are  100  large  hotels;  over  800  small  hotels  and  boarding 
houses  and  800  cottages  there  to  house  this  vast  multitude  of  visitors. 

The  city  owns  and  operates  its  water  works,  the  water  being  supplied 
from  fifteen  artesian  wells  and  distri'juted  through  80  miles  of  mains,  the 
daily  supply  averaging  4,000,000  gallons.  There  are  56  miles  of  streets  laid 
out  in  squares,  and  most  of  them  are  paved  with  macadam,  except  the  two 
main  thoroughfares,  one  of  which  is  paved  with  asphalt  and  the  other  with 
iMtulithic.  The  streets  are  well  kept,  lighted  and  sprinkled.  The  famous 
board-walk,  constructed  by  the  municipality  is  5}4,  miles  long  along  the 
beach.  It  is  in  no  place  less  than  20  feet  wide,  for  the  most  part  40  feet, 
and  in  the  central  portion  60  feet  wide.  It  is  built  on  steel  piling  from  10 
to  15  feet  above  the  strand,  and  cost  $300,000.00. 

The  fire  department  of  the  city  numbers  140  men,  maintained  at  a 
cost  of  $156,000.00,  and  the  the  police  department  numbers  100  men,  main- 
tained at  a  cost  of  $100,000.00.  There  is  also  a  city  beach  patrol  of  55  men. 
The  city  has  10  public  schools,  with  5,708  pupils  and  142  teachers.  The 
total  city  budget  for  1906  amounted  to  $1,655,899.00.  The  assessed  valu- 
ation of  all  property,  about  one-half  of  the  actual  value,  was  $50,438,- 
430.00,  and  the  tax  rate  $17.50.  The  bonded  indebtedness  is  $3,329,000.00, 
against  which  the  sinking  funds  held  $653,845.00,  and  additional  school 
bonds  for  $443,000.00. 

Franklin  P.  Stoy  is  the  present  mayor  of  Atlantic  City. 


76 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


R.  GOODWIN    RHETT 
Majror  of  Cbarlestoo,  South  Carolina 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Qlljarb0t0tt 


The  City  of  Charleston  in  the  State  of  Soutli  Carolina  was  fonnded  in 
1607,  it  being  the  third  English  settlement  eflfected  in  America.  Its  pres- 
ent charter  dates  back  to  1783,  bnt  there  have  been  many  amendments 
since.  It  is  governed  by  a  mayor  and  tw^enty-four  aldermen,  who  are 
elected  every  fonr  years  and  constitute  its  city  council.  The  city  is  divid- 
ed into  twelve  wards.  Of  the  twenty-four  aldermen,  twelve  are  known  as 
"Ward  /ildermen,"  and  must  not  only  reside  in  the  wards  electing  them 
at  the  time  of  their  election,  but  durig  their  entire  incumbency  of  office. 
The  other  twelve  aldermen  are  known  as  "Aldermen  at  Large."  Each  of 
these  must  reside  in  a  different  ward  at  the  time  of  his  election,  but  his 
change  of  residence  to  any  other  portion  of  the  city  during  his  term  docs 
not  affect  his  tenure  of  office.  These  last  twelve  aldermen  are  voted  for 
by  the  entire  city.  The  mayor  is  elected  by  the  people  for  four  years, 
and  the  treasurer,  the  sheriff  and  the  assessor  are  elected  by  the  council 
for  a  like  period.  The  board  of  health,  consisting  of  twelve  members,  is 
appointed  l)y  the  mayor  and  confirmed  by  the  council.  The  health  officer 
is  elected  by  the  city  council.  The  chief  of  police  is  appointed  by  the  mayor 
and  confirmed  by  the  council.  The  street  department  is  under  the  board 
of  ])ublic  works,  consisting  of  six  citizens  appointed  by  the  mayor,  and 
the  cit}'  engineer  is  elected  by  the  council  for  four  years.  The  hre  dejjart- 
ment  is  under  the  board  of  seven  fire  masters,  elected  by  the  council  for 
four  years.  The  board  appoints  the  chief.  The  department  of  charities 
is  under  a  numl)er  of  boards,  each  of  whom  has  charge  of  one  institution. 
They  are  elected  by  the  council. 

Several  years  ago  the  Medical  Society  offered  to  spend  $100,000.00  in 
enlarging  and  improving  the  city  hospital,  ])rovided  the  Society  was  given 
charge  of  the  work  at  a  specified  sum.  This  offer  was  accepted,  and  the 
finest  hospital  of  the  South  was  constructed,  and  the  Society  not  onl\- 
takes  care  of  the  poor  sick  of  the  city  in  its  hospital,  but  supplies  dispcn- 
sar\-  physicians  who  attend  the  poor  sick  in  different  districts  of  the  cit\'. 

Education  is  under  the  state  government,  the  school  commissioners 
being  partly  elected  and  partly  appointed  by  the  governor.  As  the  various 
boards,  none  of  whose  members  are  paid,  consist  of  the  best  citizens,  the 
government  of  the  city  has  proved  extremely  satisfactory. 

The  sewerage  system  is  now  in  course  of  construction.  The  city  s 
water  supply  is  obtained  from  artesian  wells  by  pumping  and  is  furnished 
by  a  private  company.  The  total  area  of  the  city  is  5  square  miles,  and  its 
population  is  estimated  at  60,000.     The  federal  government  is  carrying  on 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


extensive  harbor  works,  and  the  harbor  of  Charleston  is  considered  one  of 
the  most  commodious  and  ideal  in  the  country. 

The  assessed  valuation,  about  60  per  cent  of  the  actual  value,  in  1906 
was  $18,379,275.00,  and  the  total  tax  rate  $38.50.  Its  bonded  indebted- 
ness is  $3,788,200.00. 

R.  Goodwin  Rhett  is  the  present  mayor  of  Charleston. 


S0j0  Ulom^B 


Des  Moines,  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Iowa,  was  first  settled  in  1846. 
It  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1851  and  received  its  charter  as  a  city  in 
1857.  In  1856  it  became  the  capital  of  the  state.  The  present  form  of 
government  is  uiider  the  general  incorporation  laws  of  the  state,  but  a  new 
charter  was  adopted  by  vote  of  the  people  June  20,  1907,  and  will  go  into 
effect  in  March,  1908.  This  charter  provides  the  commission  city  form  of 
city  government,  and  is  known  as  the  "Des  Moines  Plan."  Under  it  there 
will  be  a  mayor  and  four  councilmen,  or  commissioners,  elected  at  large, 
who  will  appoint  all  other  municipal  officials,  except  the  members  of  the 
school  board.  The  charter  provides  further  for  the  initiative  and  referen- 
dum ;  for  non-partisan  primaries  and  elections ;  for  civil  service  in  all  de- 
partments and  for  the  recall.  The  mayor  and  councilmen  will  be  elected 
for  a  period  of  two  years.  These  five  officials  will  exercise  all  executive 
and  legislative  powers  by  means  of  five  departments, viz:  public  affairs,  of 
which  the  mayor  shall  be  superintendent;  accounts  and  finance;  public 
safety;  street  and  pu1:)lic  improvements;  parks  and  public  property.  The 
area  of  Des  Moines  is  54  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at 
80,000. 

The  city  gets  its  water  supply  from  the  Raccoon  river  by  pumping 
and  filtering;  the  works  are  owned  by  a  private  company.  The  city  has 
19  public  parks  covering  600  acres  of  land.  The  streets  have  a  length  of 
525  miles,  of  which  75  miles  are  paved;  65  miles  with  brick,  and  the  balance 
with  asphalt  and  macadam.  They  are  lighted  by  375  electric  arc,  540  in- 
candescent lights,  850  gas  lamps  and  150  gasoline  lamps. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  amount  to  nearly  $2,000,000.00,  in- 
cluding $700,000.00  for  schools.  The  total  assessed  valuation  of  property 
which  is  one-fourth  of  the  actual  value,  was  $16,963,240.00  in  1906,  and 
the  total  tax  rate  $74.00.  The  bonded  indebtedness,  on  February  1,  1907, 
was  $673,000.00,  and  an  additional  school  indebtedness  of  $517,500.00. 

George  W.  Mattern  is  the  present  mayor  of  Des  Moines. 


78 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Seattle,  the  largest  city  in  Washington,  was  first  settled  in  1852.  It 
was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1865,  and  obtained  its  first  charter  in  1869. 
At  present  it  is  working  under  a  charter  adopted  in  1896  and  amended  in 
1900.  The  legislative  power  is  vested  in  a  mayor;  a  city  council,  consist- 
ing of  one  member  from  each  ward  and  four  members  elected  from  the 
city  at  large.  The  ward  representatives  are  elected  for  a  period  of  two 
years,  and  those  elected  at  large  for  a  period  of  four  years.  The  elective 
officers  of  the  city  are:  a  mayor;  a  comptroller,  who  is  ex-ofiicio  city  clerk; 
a  corporation  counsel  and  a  treasurer.  They  are  elected  for  a  period  of 
two  years.  All  other  officers  are  appointed  by  the  mayor  with  the  con- 
sent of  the  city  council.  The  public  schools  are  controlled  by  a  board 
of  education  separate  from  the  municipality.  Seattle  has  a  total  area  of 
48  square  miles,  of  which  16  miles  are  water,  and  is  divided  into  eleven 
wards.  Its  population  was  estimated  by  the  United  States  Census  Bureau 
at  104,169  for  1906,  but  the  municipal  authorities  of  the  city  '  protest 
against  this  estimate  and  claim  for  1907  a  population  of  200,000. 

The  city  owns  its  water  system  and  derives  its  supply  from  the  Cedar 
river  and  the  Cascade  Mountains  by  a  pipe  line  twenty-eight  miles  long, 
with  a  capacity  of  25,000,000  gallons  per  day,  and  230  miles  of  mains. 
The  city  has  recently  constructed  an  electric  lighting  plant  at  the  Falls 
of  the  Cedar  River,  36  miles  distant,  to  furnish  light  and  power  for  public 
and  private  purposes.  There  are  a  number  of  public  parks  of  great  natural 
beauty,  with  a  total  area  of  550  acres.  A  system  of  boulevards  is  projected 
to  run  along  the  shores  of  the  lakes,  several  of  which  are  within  the  city 
limits  and  Puget  Sound,  connecting  all  the  parks. 

There  are  more  than  160  miles  of  streets,  of  which  60  miles  are  paved; 
20  miles  with  asphalt,  6  miles  with  brick,  10  miles  with  macadam,  and  the 
balance  with  wooden  blocks,  planks  and  gravel.  There  are  60  public 
schools,  with  an  enrollment  of  20,000  pupils,  taught  by  400  teachers,  at  a 
total  expense  of  more  than  $1,000,000.00,  including  improvements. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  of  property,  about  60  per  cent  the  actual 
value,  for  1906  was  $125,774,508.00.  The  total  tax  rate  was  $30.00,  includ- 
ing $6.00  for  school  tax.    The  total  bonded    indebtedness    on    January    1, 

1907,  was  $4,635,000.00,  not  including  $2,827,459.84  assessment  bonds  and 
$2,125,000.00  school  bonds. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Seattle,   their  terms   expiring  March   16, 

1908,  are:  William  Hickman  Moore,  mayor;  Scott  Calhoun,  corporation 
counsel;  H.  W.  Carroll,  city  comptroller  and  ex-officio  city  clerk;  George 
F.  Russell,  city  treasurer. 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


WILLIAM    F.    HENNEY 

Mayor  of  Hartford.  Connecticut 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  City  of  Hartford,  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  was  first 
settled  by  the  Dutch  in  1633.  It  obtained  a  city  charter  in  1784  and 
another  in  1859,  under  which  latter,  much  amended,  the  city  is  being  gov- 
erned at  present.  Under  it  the  mayor  is  the  chief  magistrate;  the  court  of 
the  common  council,  consisting  of  two  boards — a  board  of  aldermen,  con- 
sisting of  twenty  members,  two  from  each  ward  and  a  common  council 
board,  consisting  of  four  members  from  each  ward — is  the  legislative 
branch  of  the  government ;  the  members  of  the  council  serve  without  com- 
pensation; bi-partisan  commissions,  composed  of  six  members  each,  ap- 
pointed by  the  mayor  and  approved  by  the  aldermen,  plan  and  execute  the 
work  of  their  respective  departments.  The  park  board,  however,  is  cre- 
ated by  special  enactment.  It  is  composed  of  ten  members,  each  chosen 
for  the  term  of  ten  years.  It  has  charge  of  the  park  system  embracing 
1,200  acres.  A  board  of  finance,  which  includes  two  citizens  appointed  by 
the  mayor  and  confirmed  by  the  aldermen,  makes  up  the  annual  budget, 
recommends  the  tax  rate  and  deals  with  all  financial  questions  and  makes 
its  recommendations  to  the  council  for  final  action.  The  board  of  contract 
and  supplies,  composed  of  the  mayor,  the  presidents  of  the  street  board, 
the  police  board,  the  fire  board  and  the  charity  board,  let  out  all  contracts 
for  city  work  or  materials  amounting  to  $500.00  or  more. 

The  area  of  the  city  is  17j4  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  esti- 
mated at  100,000.  It  has  130  miles  of  streets,  of  which  99  miles  are  macad- 
amized and  9  miles  paved  with  improved  pavement.  The  city  owns  and 
operates  its  own  water  department.  It  is  building  a  magnificent  stone  arch 
bridge  over  the  Connecticut  river,  which  is  now  nearly  completed,  and 
which  is  1,200  feet  long  and  80  feet  broad  and  one  of  the  finest  structures 
in  the  country.     It  cost  $2,000,000.00. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  in  1906  were  $1,443,536.09.  The  city 
has  an  assessed  valuation  of  $97,000,000.00,  and  the  tax  rate  is  $18.00,  not 
including  the  school  tax  of  $4.00,  and  its  net  city  debt  is  $4,344,714.00. 

The  present  city  ofiicials  of  Hartford  are:  William  F.  Henney, 
mayor;  Henry  F.  Smith,  clerk;  Otis  J.  Hart,  collector;  Chas.  H.  Slocum, 
treasurer;  Chas.  H.  Robins,  comptroller,  their  terms  expiring  April,  1908. 


1 


I 


81 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


I 


FRANK  K.  MOTT 
Mayor  of  Oakland,  California 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


(iaklanb 


The  City  of  Oakland,  the  county  seat  of  Almeda  County,  California, 
situated  on  the  San  Francisco  Bay,  across  the  bay  from  San  Francisco, 
was  named  from  the  large  number  of  evergreen  oaks  in  the  city.  It  was 
settled  in  1820  by  the  Spaniards;  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1852,  and  char- 
tered as  a  city  in  1854.  Its  government  is  vested  in  a  mayor  and  a  coun- 
cil of  eleven  members,  elected  for  two  years.  The  city  has  a  water  front- 
age of  15  miles,  and  its  area  is  18.8  Sjuare  miles.  Its  population,  accord- 
ing to  the  census  of  1900,  was  66,960,  but  so  unprecedented  was  its  growth 
during  the  last  few  years,  that  its  present  population,  estimated  conserva- 
tively, as  the  city  officials  claim,  is  placed  at  235,000.  ',  ^  .    ' 

The  city  has  nearly  200  miles  of  paved  streets,  mostly  with  macadam, 
it  has  a  fine  public  park  system,  and  is  about  to  acquire  a  large  park  area  on 
the  shore  of  Lake  Merritt,  a  natural  salt  water  lake  within  the  city,  cover- 
ing 170  acres.  For  this  purpose  a  bond  issue  of  approximately  $1,000,- 
000.00  was  recently  approved  by  a  vote  of  the  people.  The  streets  are 
well  kept  and  cleaned  by  a  force  of  nearly  200  men,  employed  daily.  They 
are  lighted  by  1,000  electric  arc  lights. 

At  i)resent  work  is  carried  on  of  burying  all  wires  and  removing  the 
])oles  from  the  business  section  of  the  city.  A  complete  set  of  intercepting 
and  outlet  sewers  is  being  rushed  to  completion.  Plans  for  the  installa- 
tion of  a  salt  water  fire  system  are  under  way.  A  new  city  hall  and  a  gar- 
bage reduction  plant  are  being  planned  for  the  near  future.  As  a  proof  for 
the  tremendous  growth  of  Oakland,  the  postoffice  receipts  are  cited,  which, 
for  the  fiscal  year  1907,  were  $428,430.1,  as  against  $165,624.27  in  1905, 
and  the  building  permits  for  1907  were  $9,821,331,  as  against  $4,446;693  in 
1906. 

The  assessed  valuation,  equal  to  about  four-fifths  of  the  actual  value, 
for  the  year  1905-1906,  was  $61,090,689.00,  and  for  the  year  1906-1907,  is 
given  at  $101,000,000.00.  The  tax  rate  in  1906  was  $28.80.  The  bonded 
indebtedness  of  the  city  in  March,  1907,  was  $817,000.00,  to  which  must  be 
added  $1,000,000.00  park  bonds,  voted  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  $1,216,000.00 
school  bonds. 

Frank  K.  Mott  is  at  present  mayor  of  Oakland. 


83 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


E.    R,  GERBER 
Mayor  of  Reading,  Pennsylvania 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  City  of  Reading  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  was  laid  out  in  1748 
by  Thomas  and  Richard  Penn,  the  sons  of  William  Penn.  It  was  incor- 
porated as  a  borough  in  1783  and  as  a  city  in  1847,  with  a  population  of 
12,000.  Its  present  area  is  3,965  acres,  or  6.2  square  miles,  and  its  popula- 
tion for  1907  is  estimated  at  110,000. 

There  are  500  manufacturing  establishments,  including  iron  and  steel, 
textile  products,  cigars,  cutlery,  glass  works,  fire  apparatus,  hardware, 
paper  mills,  stoves,  etc.  The  city  is  supplied  with  storm  and  house  sewers; 
owns  its  water  works,  the  supply  being  taken  from  mountain  streams  by 
gravity  and  pumping,  and  198  acres  of  parks. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  property,  which  is  three-fourths  of  the  act- 
ual value,  is  $50,000,000.00,  and  the  total  tax  rate  $17.00.  The  net  bonded 
indebtedness  of  the  city  is  $1,077,098.00,  not  including  $500,000.00  school 
bonds. 

The  present  city  officials  of  Reading  are:  Edwin  R.  Gerber,  mayor; 
Charles  L.   Moll,  comptroller;  C.  C.  Weltmer,  city  clerk. 


Mmni  Vtmm 


The  City  of  Mount  V^ernon  in  Westchester  County,  New  York,  is 
chiefly  a  residential  suburb  of  New  York  City,  which  it  adjoins  on  the 
north.  It  was  first  settled  in  1850  by  a  number  of  New  York  men  and  be- 
came incorporated  as  a  village  with  1,370  inhabitants  in  1853.  In  1892 
Mount  Vernon  was  incorporated  as  a  cit}'.  Today,  it  covers  an  area  of  4 
square  miles,  divided  into  five  wards.  It  has  43  miles  of  well-paved  and 
well-kept  streets,  most  of  them  shaded  by  over-arching  trees.  It  is  well 
sewered,  lighted  and  policed.  It  has  a  beautiful  public  park;  a  fine  public 
library,  containing  about  15,000  volumes,  and  nine  public  schools  in.addi- 
tion  to  one  high  school.  Mount  Vernon's  present  population  is  about  30,- 
000. 

Its  assessed  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  1906  was  $27,240,805. QO. 
Its  present  tax  is  but  $19.70,  as  against  $27.96  five  years  ago. '  Its  bonded 
indebtedness  is  $2,318,300.00.  - 

The  chief  municipal  officers  of  Mount  Vernon  at  present  are:  Dr. 
Edward  F.  Brush,  mayor;  David  Swits,  corporation  counsel;  Colin  Ma,c- 
Kenzie,  receiver  of  taxes;  Jesse  E.  Holdredge,  comptroller;  Chas.  W. 
Straub,  city  treasurer;  Charles  Sillery,commissioner  of  public  works;  A.  W. 
Reynolds,  city  clerk. 


86 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


HORACE    L.   WILSON 
Mayor  of  Wilmington,  Delawars 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  City  of  Wilmington,  the  principal  city,  of  the  State  of  Delaware, 
was  first  settled  by  the  Swedes  in  1638.  The  first  charter  was  granted  the 
town  in  1739.  In  1809  it  was  chartered  as  a  borough  and  in  1832  incorpo- 
rated as  a  city.  The  government  is  vested  in  a  mayor  who  holds  office  for 
two  years  and  in  a  council  composed  of  thirteen  members  who  are  elected 
by  wards,  except  the  president  who  is  elected  at  large.  The  mayor  ap- 
points the  board  of  water  commissioners  and  the  board  of  directors  of 
the  street  and  sewer  departments.  The  council  elects  the  city  auditor,  the 
city  clerk  and  various  minor  officials.  The  police  commissioners  are  ap- 
pointed by  the  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court.  The  board  of  education, 
consisting  of  two  members  from  each  ward;  the  city  attorney  and  the  city 
treasurer  are  chosen  by  popular  vote.  The  city  has  an  area  of  6.3  square 
miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  90,000. 

The  city  owns  its  water  works  and  a  good  system  of  small  parks. 
Wilmington  has  a  large  variety  of  industries,  among  which  the  manufac- 
ture of  powder  is  the  most  important. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  the  real  property  for  1905  was  $47,000,- 
000.00.  The  personal  property  is  not  taxed.  The  total  tax  rate  is  $16.50. 
Its  bonded  indebtedness  is  $2,046,050.00,  not  including  $130,000.00  school 
bonds. 

Horace  Wilson  is  the  present  ma3-or  of  Wilmington. 


1  ".' 


•I 


The  City  of  Joliet,  in  ^Yill  County,  Illinois,  40  miles  from  Chicago, 
was  settled  in  1831,  and  chartered  as  a  city  in  1852.  ■  It  is  at  presentgov- 
erned  under  the  general  charter  act  of  the  state.  The  State  Penitentiary 
of  Illinois  is  located  there.  The  city  has  large  manufacturing  plants, 
among  them  some  of  the  largest  steel  and  iron  works;  tin-plate  mills  and 
limestone  quarries  in  the  country.  .Manufacturing '  is  largely  promoted 
by  power  from  the  Desplaines  river. 

joliet  owns  and  operates  its  water  works,  the  water  being  supplied 
from  artesian  wells.  The  area  of  the  city .  is  4  square  miles,  and  its 
population  is  estimated  at  40,000.  The  assessed  one-fifth  valuation  of  the 
property  for  1906,  was  $3,803,963.00,  and  its  tax  rate  $87.00.  The  bonded 
indebtedness  of  the  city  js  $144,800.00.  ..  .        ^    ;  . 

John  R.  Cronin  is  the  present  mayor  of  Joliet.  .^.  v     .  .?  .  — . 


87 


^THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


JAMES   G.  RIDDICK 
Mayor  of  Norfolk,  Virginia 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Norfolk,  the  second  city  in  Virginia,  was  organized  as  a  town  in  1682, 
incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1736  and  chartered  as  a  city  in  1845.  Its 
present  charter  was  adopted  in  1884  and  amended  several  times  since. 
The  mayor  is  elected  for  two  years.  The  council  consists  of  two  bodies, 
the  members  of  the  select  council  being  chosen  by  all  the  councilmen  from 
among  their  own  number.  The  council  controls  the  appointment  of  all 
administrative  ofificers,  excepting  those  elected  by  popular  vote.  The  land 
area  of  the  cit}'  is  5.6  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  70,- 
000. 

Norfolk  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  progressive  cities  of  the  South, 
and  has  made  great  strides  in  the  last  few  years.  Asphalt  and  Belgian 
block  have  taken  the  place  of  the  old  cobblestone,  and  today  there  are  65 
miles  of  splendidly  paved  streets.  The  system  of  sewerage  and  drainage 
is  among  the  best  and  the  city  has  an  excellent  quality  of  water  furnished 
by  the  municipal  water  works,  which  were  acquired  by  the  city  in  1873. 

Modern  and  extensive  buildings  have  replaced  the  old  ones,  and 
splendidly  appointed  hotels  and  beautiful  and  costly  residences,  churches, 
some  up-to-date  school  buildings  and  an  efiicient  corps  of  instructors,  are 
a  source  of  pride  to  the  citizens.  Norfolk  has  a  fine  harbor,  and  the  port 
has  long  led  the  world  as  a  coaling  station.  It  is  also  the  largest  peanut 
market  in  the  world,  two  and  one-half  million  bushels  being  handled  an- 
nually, giving  employment  to  thousands  of  people  the  entire  year.  The 
lumber,  cotton,  oyster  and  game  industries  have  assumed  great  propor- 
tions during  the  last  few  years.  There  are  at  this  time  over  700  manu- 
facturing plants  in  the  city. 

The  assessed  valuation,  about  75  per  cent  of  its  cash  value,  was  $41, 
700,048.00  in  1906,  and  the  tax  rate  $20.00.  The  bonded  indebtedness, 
on  January  1,  1907,  was  $6,674,000.00,  against  which  the  sinking  funds  held 
$720,646.00. 

James  G.  Riddick  is  the  present  mayor  of  Norfolk. 


i*: 


8» 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


SILAS  COOK 
Miyor  of  East  St,  Louis,  lUinoit 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


lEast^tHnttfe 


The  City  of  East  St.  Louis,  in  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  on  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1861  and  chartered  as  a  city  in 
1865.  It  is  governed  at  present  under  the  Towns  and  Villages  Act  of  the 
State  of  Illinois.  The  mayor  is  elected  biennially,  as  is  also  the.  attorney 
and  the  city  clerk  and  city  treasurer.  All  of  the  municipal  officials  are  ap- 
pointed by  the  mayor  and  confirmed  by  the  council. 

East  St.  Louis  is  an  important  manufacturing  centre,  extensive  coal 
fields  with  rail  connections  being  within  five  miles  of  the  city.  Much  en- 
couragement is  given  to  the  location  of  manufacturing  plants  there  by  ex- 
empting the  manufacturers  from  municipal  taxation  for  a  period  of  years. 
The  famous  Eads  bridge  spans  the  Mississippi  river  and  connects  the  city 
with  the  City  of  St.  Louis. 

The  area  of  the  city  is  8.1  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated 
at  60,000.  East  St.  Louis  is  a  progressive  city,  and  more  than  $5,000,000.00 
were  spent  for  public  improvements  within  the  last  ten  years.  The  water 
is  supplied  by  a  private  company  from  the  Mississippi  river  by  pumping, 
purified  by  mechanical  filtration.  There  are  40  miles  of  paved  streets  and 
over  60  miles  of  sewers.  A  large  outlet  sewer  and  pumping  station  are 
planned  to  l)e  built  in  the  near  future. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  the  property  which,  in  the  state  of  Illinois, 
equals  one-fifth  of  its  actual  value,  was  $7,737,641.00  in  1906;  and  its  to- 
tal tax  rate  $79.70  per  thousand  dollars,  or  a  little  less  than  $16.00  per 
thousand  on  the  full  valuation.  .         _  . . 

The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  city  is  $650,000.00,:with  an  additional 
$317,000  school  bonds.  '  .  .,    -. 

Silas  Cook  is  the  present  mayor  of  East  St.  Louis. 


01 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


WILLIAM   J.   HOSEY 
Mayor  of  Fort  Wayne,  IndiaDa 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN  MUNICIPALITIES 


3fft.  Waun? 


The  City  of  Ft.  Wayne,  Indiana,  was  chartered  as  a  city  in  1839,  and 
is  at  present  governed  under  the  new  Indiana  law  of  1905. 

The  area  of  the  city  is  8.35  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  esti- 
mated at  60,000.  The  city  has  40  miles  of  paved  streets,  of  which  22  are 
paved  with  asphalt  and  18  with  brick.  They  are  lighted  with  375  arc 
lights.  There  are  eight  parks  with  an  area  of  111  acres.  The  sewer  sys- 
tem comprises  80.5  miles  of  sewers.  The  water  supply  is  derived  from 
deep  rock  wells.  The  water  works,  built  in  1879,  are  owned  and  operated 
by  the  city.  There  are  two  pumping  stations  with  a  daily  capacity  of 
9,000,000  gallons,  and  96  miles  of  mains. 

The  city  has  sixteen  ward  schools  and  one  high  school,  with  a  total 
enrollment  of  6,376  pupils,  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $250,000.00. 

Ft.  Wayne  has  important  manufacturing  interests,  including  extensive 
railroad  shops,  machine  shops,  electric  light  works,  wheel  works,  knitting 
mills  and  packing  houses. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property,  equal  to  about  75  per  cent  of 
the  actual  value,  is  $28,677,101.00  for  1907,  and  the  tax  rate  $23.60.  The 
bonded  indebtedness  is  $599,800.00,  not  including  $245,000.00  school  bonds. 

William  J.  Hosey  is  the  present  mayor  of  Ft.  Wayne. 


93 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


EDWARD   J.    FOGARTY 

Mayor  of  South  Bend,  Indiana 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


i^nutlf  Mmh 


The. City  of  South  Bend,  Indiana,  was  laid  out  as  a  town  in  1831,  in- 
corporated in  1835,  and  chartered  as  a  city  in  1865.  At  present  the  city  is 
governed  under  the  new  act  of  the  legislature  concerning  municipal  cor- 
porations, in  force  since  April,  1905.  The  mayor  and  the  city  clerk  are 
elected  for  four  years.  The  council  consists  of  one  member  from  each 
ward,  and  four  councilmen  elected  at  large. 

The  city  has  an  area  of  6.2  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimat- 
ed at  50,000.  South  Bend  is  the  center  of  a  rich  farming  section  and  is  an 
important  industrial  city,  with  large  wagon  works,  plow  works,  found- 
ries and  machine  shops,  lumber  and  flour  mills.  The  city  owns  its  water 
works,  obtaining  its  supply  from  deep  wells,  by  pumping. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  property,  about  one-half  of  the  actual  value, 
in  1906  was  $21,427,870.00;  and  the  tax  rate  for  the  city  $12.80,  and  for  the 
schools  $7.00.  The  bonded  indebtedness  is  $429,000.00,  with  an  additional 
$478,11-5.00  for  improvement  bonds,  and  $174,000.00  school  bonds. 

Edward  J.  Fogart}^  is  the  present  mayor  of  South  Bend. 


3avt  Hortlj 


Fort  Wortli,  in  the  State  of  Texas,  the  county  seat  of  Tarrant  County, 
is  situated  30  miles  west  of  Dallas  oil  the  Trinity  river.  It  was  settled  in 
1849  and  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1872.  Its  present  charter  was  adopted 
in  1900.  The  mayor  is  elected  biennially,  and  the  unicameral  council  con- 
trols the  ap])ointment  of  most  of  the  nmnicipal  officers. 

The  cit}'  is  the  center  of  a  vast  stock-raising  country,  and  is  an  impor- 
tant cotton  market.  Fort  Worth  owns  and  operates  its  water  works,  the 
water  supi)ly  l)eing  obtained  from  artesian  wells  and  the  river,  the  latter 
clarified  l)y  sedimentation.  The  city  also  owns  its  electric  works.  The 
area  of  the  city  is  6.6  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  30,000.  The  ass- 
essed valuation,  about  80  per  cent  of  the  actual  value,  of  all  property  in 
1906,  was  $26,220,725.00:  the  tax  rate  $17.50.  The  bonded  indebtedness  is 
$1,781,000.00.  .,    ;;:|-. 

W.  D.  Harris  is  the  present  mayor  of  Fort  Worth.  '!i;i;i 


•lll.lrl,".. 


i.Ml 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


ROBERT   A.    KENYON 
Mayor  of  Pawtucket,  Rhode  Island 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


J^amturkrt 


Pawtucket,  in  the  State  of  Rhode  Island,  well  known  for  the  extent 
and  variety  of  its  manufactures,  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1874,  and 
as  a  city  in  1885.  It  is  four  miles  from  Providence  on  the  main  line  of 
New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  railroad.  The  city  has  an  area  of 
83^  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  44,000,  making  it  the  second  largest 
city  in  the  state.  It  is  the  business  center  of  adjacent  manufacturing 
towns,  which  have  an  aggregate  population  of  100,000.  Its  government 
is  vested  in  a  mayor  elected  each  year,  and  a  bicameral  council.  Most  of 
the  administrative  officials  are  elected  by  the  council.  The  school  com- 
mittee is  chosen  by  popular  vote. 

The  city  has  138.46  miles  of  streets;  5.37  miles  are  paved  with  granite 
blocks,  3.38  miles  with  bituminous  macadam,  16.25  miles  with  macadam, 
62.86  miles  with  gravel,  making  a  total  length  of  88.06  miles  of  improved 
streets.  The  water  works,  built  by  the  city  in  1878,  have  a  capacity  of- 
12,000,000  gallons  daily,  and  159.36  miles  of  mains.  The  sewerage  system 
com])rises  51.86  miles  of  sewers. 

The  assessed  valuation  in  1906  was  $40,521,080.00,  and  the  tax  rate 
$16.50.  The  city  has  a  bonded  indebtedness  of  $5,345,000.00,  against  which 
the  sinking  funds  hold  $1,560,070.00. 

Robert  A.  Kenyon  is  the  present  mayor  of  Pawtucket. 


The  City  of  Richmond,  the  county  seat  of  Wayne  County,  Indiana,  was 
settled  in  1816;  was  incorporated  in  1834  and  received  its  first  city  charter 
in  1840.  It  is  at  present  governed  under  the  Indiana  law  of  1905.  Its  area 
is  4.14  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  25,000. 

Richmond  is  essentially  a  manufacturing  town.  It  has  75  factories. 
The  principal  lines  are  threshers,  wheat  drills,  lawn  mowers,  buggies,  furn- 
iture and  agricultural  implements.  The  assessed  valuation,  about  one- 
half  of  the  actual  value,  for  1906,  was  $13,727,915.00;  the  tax  rate  $11.00. 
The  bonded  indebtedness  is  $213,000.00. 

Richard  Schillinger  is  the  present  mayor  of  Richmond. 


97 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Z.  REED   BROCKWAY 
Mayor  of  Elmira,  N«w  Yoik 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  City  of  Elmira,  New  York,  the  county  seat  of  Chemung  county, 
was  first  settled  in  1788,  incorporated  as  the  village  of  Newton  in  1815, 
and  as  the  village  of  Elmira  in  1828;  chartered  as  a  city  in  1864.  The  New 
York  State  Reformatory  is  situated  within  the  city  limits  and  many  large 
factories  and  mills  are  there. 

The  area  of  the  city  is  7.4  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimat- 
ed at  40,000.  The  city  has  an  elaborate  park  system,  and  157  miles  of 
streets,  of  which  20  are  paved  with  asphalt,  brick  and  stone,  well  lighted 
and  kept  clean.  The  water  supply,  obtained  from  the  Chemung  river  by 
pumping,  purified  by  mechanical  filtration,  is  furnished  by  a  private  com- 
pany. The  city  has  fully  equipped  fire  and  police  departments,  each  num- 
bering 41  men. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  of  all  property,  about  80  per  cent  of  the 
actual  value,  was  $19,338,458.00  for  1906;  the  tax  rate  $22.04.  The  total 
bonded  indebtedness  on  January  1,  1907,  was  $1,164,500.00. 

J.  R.  Brockway  is  the  present  mayor  of  Elmira. 


Pnrtemnutli 


The  City  of  Portsmouth,  in  Virginia,  was  settled  in  1752,  and  char- 
tered as  a  city  in  1858.  It  is  at  present  working  imder  a  charter  adopted 
in  1893.  The  mayor  ia  elected  for  four  years.  There  is  a  bicameral  coun- 
cil, consisting  of  a  board  of  aldermen  of  ten  members,  two  from  each 
ward,  and  a  common  council  of  eighteen  members.  The  area  of  the  city  is 
1.8  square  miles,  and  the  population  is  estimated  at  20,000.  Portsmouth 
claims  to  be  the  healthiest  city  in  the  South.  The  death  rate  is  13  for  the 
whites  and  18  for  both  the  colored  and  white. 

There  are  6.15  miles  of  paved  street  with  alphalt  and  brick,  and 
16.25  miles  of  graded,  curbed  and  guttered  streets.  There  are  14.6  miles  of 
sewers.  The  city  has  within  its  limits  the  Naval  Hospital  park,  said  to  be 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  parks  in  the  country.  The  United  States  naval 
yard  is  also  located  in  Portsmouth.  The  city  gets  its  water  supply  from 
Lake  Kilby,  about  18  miles  from  the  city.  The  city  owns  one-half  of  the 
Norfolk  County  ferry,  which  connects  Portsmouth  with  Norfolk.  The 
ferry  is  leased  for  $61,600.00  a  year,  of  which  the  city  receives  one-half.  The 
assessed  valuation  is  $8,383,724.00;  the  tax  rate  $17.57.  The  bonded  in- 
debtedness is  $1,117,777.00. 

J.  Davis  Reed  is  the  present  mayor  of  Portsmouth. 


99 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


D.  A.  YEISER 
Mayor  of  Paducah,  KcDIucky 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  City  of  Paducah,  the  county  seat  of  McCracken  County,  Kentucky, 
situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Tennessee  and  Ohio  rivers,  was  set- 
tled in  1821  and  incorporated  in  1831.  Its  government  at  present  is  admin- 
istered under  a  charter  adopted  in  1893,  providing  for  a  mayor  elected  for 
four  years;  a  hoard  of  aldermen  of  eight  members,  also  elected  for  four 
years  and  a  l)oard  of  councilmen,  two  from  each  ward,  elected  for  two 
years.  The  city  has  an  area  of  5.8  square  miles,  and  its  population  is 
estimated  at  30,000.  Among  the  extensive  manufacturing  interests  large 
ore  and  mill  plans  and  novelty  works  are  the  most  prominent. 

The  city  owns  its  electric  light  plant,  while  its  water  is  supplied  by  a 
private  company  from  the  Ohio  river  by  pumping  and  fdtration.  The  as- 
sessed valuation  of  property,  equal  to  70  per  cent  of  its  full  value,  for  1907, 
is  $10,850,599.00,  and  the  tax  rate  $16.50.  The  bonded  indebtedness  is  $535,- 
000.00.  As  an  ofifset  the  city  owns  railroad  stock  at  the  par  value  of  $220,- 
DOO.OO. 

D.  A.  Yeiser  is  the  present  mayor  of  Paducah ;  Alex  Kirkland  is  city 
auditor  and  John  |.  Dorin  is  the  citv  treasurer. 


J(arkH0n 


The  City  of  Jackson,  the  county  seat  of  Jackson  County,  Michigan, 
situated  on  the  Grand  river,  was  settled  in  1829;  became  a  village  in  1843 
and  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1857.  The  mayor  and  council,  consisting  of 
sixteen  members,  are  elected  for  a  term  of  two  years. 

Large  manufacturing  interests  are  located  there,  its  cement  industry 
having  a  national  reputation.  The  area  of  the. city  is  8.9  square  miles, 
and  the  population  is  30,000.  The  city  owns  its  water  works,  the  supply 
being  obtained  from  deep  wells,  distributed  through  40  miles  of  mains.  It 
has  a  good  sewerage  system,  and  has  just  completed  a  sewage  disposal 
plant  at  a  cost  of  $40,000.00,  with  an  intercepting  sewer  costing  $75,- 
000.00.  There  are  12  public  schools  and  two  parks.  The  assessed  valua- 
tion of  all  ])ro])erty  was  $15,497,720.00,  and  the  city  tax  rate  $12.50.  Its 
bonded  indebtedness  is  $281,500.00. 

Benjamin  J.  Glasgow  is  the  present  mayor  of  Jackson. 


101 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


F.   L.   UNTERKIRCHER 
Mayor  of  Burlington,  Iowa 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


lurUngtnn 


Burlington,  the  county  seat  of  Des  Moines  County,  Iowa,  was  settled 
as  early  as  1829;  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1834  and  as  a  city  in  1836. 
Its  area  is  10  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  30,000. 
Burlington  has  28  miles  of  paved  streets,  and  10  miles  otherwise  im- 
proved. The  sewerage  system  comprises  27  miles  of  sewers.  Its  water  sup- 
ply is  obtained  from  the  Mississippi  river  by  pumping,  and  purified  by  me- 
chanical filtration,  the  water  works  being  owned  by  a  private  company. 

Its  school  system  comprises  twelve  public  school  buildings  and  one 
high  school.  Crapo  park,  of  100  acres  along  the  river,  is  one  of  the  attrac- 
tions of  this  city.  Its  industrial  products  are  principally  lumber,  furniture, 
cars,  carriages  and  wagons. 

The  assessed  valuation,  equal  to  one-fourth  of  the  full  value,  of  all 
property,  was  $3,488,524.00  for  1906,  and  the  tax  rate  $80.70.  The  bonded 
indebtedness  is  $268,500.00. 

F.  L.  Unterkircher  is  the  present  mayor  of  Burlington. 


QIUiu^rHutlk 


Gloversville,  New  York,  situated  about  40  miles  west  from  Albany, 
was  incorporated  as  a  village  in  1851  and  as  a  city  in  1890.  The  city  has  an 
area  of  4.2  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  20,000.  It  has 
7  public  schools  with  80  teachers,  and  a  well-equipped  and  well-managed 
hospital.  It  has  5  miles  of  paved  streets.  The  water  supply  is  obtained 
by  gravity  from  reservoirs  supplied  by  springs.  The  water  works  are 
owned  by  the  city  and  managed  by  a  board  of  commissioners,  elected  by 
the  people.  The  city  officials  consist  of  a  mayor,  a  chamberlain,  a  re- 
corder, a  commissioner  of  charities,  twelve  aldermen  and  two  assessors, 
elected  by  the  people.  The  council  elects  nearly  all  other  officials,  leaving 
for  appointment  by  the  mayor  a  board  of  civil  examiners;  plumbing  exami- 
ners and  a  board  of  health,  the  latter  subject  to  approval  by  the  common 
council.  The  principal  industry  of  Gloversville  is  the  manufacture  of 
leather,  gloves  and  mittens,  there  being  29  establishments  manufacturing 
leather,  and  97  making  gloves  and  mittens. 

The  total  assessed  valuation  of  property,  60  per  cent  of  the  actual 
value,  for  1906,  was  $6,933,175.00,  and  the  tax  rate  $27.60.  The  net  bonded 
indebtedness  is  $564,810.00. 

Dr.  Eugene  Beach  is  the  present  mayor  of  Gloversville. 


103 


THE  BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


JOHN    K.   SAGUE 
Mayor  of  Poughkeepsie,  New  York 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


P0ugljk^^pBfe 


Poughkeepsie,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  situated  on  the  Hudson 
river,  half  way  between  New  York  and  Albany,  is  best  known  as  the 
"Home  of  Vassar  College,"  the  famous  institution  of  learning  for  young  wo- 
men. Besides  Vassar  College,  there  are  a  number  of  other  schools  and  col- 
leges there  attracting  large  numbers  of  pupils,  and  Poughkeepsie  has  long 
been  known  as  the  city  of  schools.  Formerly  almost  exclusively  a  residen- 
tial city,  of  late  years  many  manufacturing  plants  have  been  established 
there,  employing  large  numbers  of  workers.  It  was  settled  in  1698,  incor- 
porated as  a  village  in  1799  and  as  a  city  in  1854.  .The  area  of  the  city  is 
2.8  scjuare  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  30,000. 

Its  assessed  valuation,  about  two-thirds  of  the  actual  value,  for  1906, 
was  $13,209,780.00;  its  tax  rate  $26.50.  Its  bonded  indebtedness  is  $1,587,- 
OOO.OO. 

The  present  city  ofilicials  of  Poughkeepsie  are:  John  K.  Sague,  mayor; 
Edward  Burgess,  city  chamberlain;  N.  Homer  Guernsey,  city  treasurer; 
Frank  Hasbrouck,  city  attorney;  Charles  J.  McCabe,  chief  of  police. 


Nashville,  the  capital  of  the  State  of  Tennessee,  was  first  settled  in 
1780  and  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1784.  It  was  chartered  as  a  city  in 
1806  and  was  made  the  permanent  capital  of  the  state  in  1843.  Its  pres- 
ent charter  was  obtained  in  1883  and  revised  in  1901.  The  city  council 
consists  of  one  member  from  each  ward;  the  mayor,  city  attorney,  comp- 
troller, treasurer,  tax  assessor  and  the  board  of  public  works,  are 
elected  by  po])uIar  vote,  all  for  a  period  of  two  years.  The  mayor  ap- 
points the  park  commissioners,  the  civil  service  commissioners,  the  board 
of  health  and  the  board  of  education,  with  the  concurrence  of  the  council. 
The  area  of  the  city  is  9.88  square  miles,  and  the  population  was  estimated 
at  125,000  in  1906. 

The  city  obtains  its  water  supply  from  the  Cumberland  river  by 
pumping,  clarified  l)y  sand  filtration.  The  water  works  comprise  100  miles 
of  mains.  Of  its  300  miles  of  streets,  200  miles  are  paved;  185  v^ith  ma- 
cadam, 8  miles  with  granite,  4  miles  with  brick  and  the  balance  with  other 
materials.  The  streets  are  lighted  by  730  arc  lights  and  2,350  incandes- 
cent lights,  operated  from  a  municipally  owned  plant,  which  the  city  built 
in  1902  at  a  cost  of  $200,000.00. 

T.  O.  Morris  is  the  present  mayor  of  the  city. 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


ISAAC  SHOENTHAL 
Mayor  of  Orange,  New  Jersey 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


The  City  of  Orange  in  Essex  County,  New  Jersey,  was  set  ofT  from  a 
part  of  the  town  of  Newark  in  1807;  was  incorporated  as  the  town  of 
Orange  in  1860  and  as  the  city  of  Orange  in  1872.  The  city  is  the  resi- 
dence of  many  New  York  business  p?opIe,  being  easily  reached  from  the 
metropolis  by  numerous  trains.  The  principal  industry  is  the  manufactur- 
ing of  soft  felt  hats,  the  largest  factory  in  the  United  States  being  located 
there.  The  area  of  the  city  is  2.2  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  esti- 
mated at  28,000. 

The  city  has  35.8  miles  of  streets,  of  which  31.6  miles  are  improved. 
The  school  system  is  composed  of  s^ven  grammar  schools  and  one  high 
school,  with  a  total  average  attendance  of  3,600  pupils.  The  assessed 
valuation  of  all  property,  about  85  per  cent  of  the  real  value,  was  $17,857,- 
650.00  for  1906;' the  tax  rate  S20.00.  The  bonded  indebtedness  of  the  citv 
is  $1,400,174.00. 

Isaac  Shoenthal  is  the  present  mayor  of  Orange. 


lEaat  ®rang^ 


East  Orange  in  New  Jersey,  originally  a  part  of  the  old  town  of 
Orange,  became  a  town  in  1863  and  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1899. 
The  mayor  is  elected  for  a  term  of  four  years;  also  the  council,  which  con- 
sists of  two  members  from  each  of  the  five  wards.  The  board  of  education 
is  also  elected.  The  area  of  the  city  is  4  square  miles,  and  its  population  is 
estimated  at  26,500. 

Prior  to  1902  water  was  supplied  to  the  city  by  a  private  company.  At 
a  special  election  in  December,  1901,  the  people  decided  by  an  overwhelming 
vote  in  favor  of  municipal  water  plant,  and  in  1902  the  city  bought,  at  the 
price  of  $350,000.00,  from  the  company,  all  the  pipes  and  franchise  rights  as 
well  as  the  use  of  its  plant  for  two  years.  A  new  source  of  supply  was  lo- 
cated and  20  deep  wells  were  driven,  which  were  put  in  operation  in  1905. 
The  second  set  of  wells,  since  driven,  is  not  yet  in  service.  The  water  is 
pumped  into  a  reservoir  with  a  capacity  of  5,000,000  gallons,  and  the  daily 
average  pumpage  is  2,205,060  gallons,  distributed  through  74.86  miles  of 
mains.  The  city  has  65.57  miles  of  streets,  of  which  51.57  miles  are  paved, 
and  a  sewerage  system  comprising  58.25  miles  of  sewers. 

The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property  is  $39,301,200.00,  and  the  tax 
rate  $15.00.  The  bonded  indebtedness  is  $2,051,516.99,  against  which  the 
sinking  funds  hold  $300,201 .67. 

William  Cardwell  is  the  present  mayor  of  East  Orange. 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


ANTHONY  C.   DOUGLAS 
Ma^'or  o{  Niagara  Falls,  New  York 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Niagara  Jalb 


Niagara  Falls,  in  New  York,  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1892.  It  has 
an  area  of  10.9  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  estimated  at  27,000. 
The  city  has  25  miles  of  paved  streets  and  7  miles  more  are  being  now  con- 
structed. Its  school  system  comprises  ten  public  schools  and  one  high 
school.  Two  more  schools  are  building  now.  One-half  of  the  city  is  sup- 
plied by  municipal  water  works  and  the  other  half  by  a  private  company. 

Niagara  Falls  is  a  city  of  great  industrial  activities,  these  being  pro- 
moted by  the  development  of  the  great  electrical  power  of  the  Falls.  Some 
of  the  largest  paper  mills  and  electro-chemical  industries  of  the  country  are 
located  there.  The  assessed  valuation  of  all  property,  at  40  per  cent  of  its 
real  value,  is  $20,953,595.00,  and  the  city  tax  rate  $18.72.  The  bonded  in- 
debtedness of  the  city  is  $1,548,919.00. 

A.  C.  Douglass  is  the  present  mayor  of  Niagara  Falls. 


(^rmh  Eaptia 


The  City  of  Grand  Rapids  in  the  State  of  Michigan  was  settled  in 
1833,  and  became  a  city  in  1850.  It  is  governed  by  a  council,  consisting  of 
two  members  from  each  ward,  elected  for  two  years,  and  the  following 
elective  officials:  Mayor,  clerk,  treasurer,  comptroller,  marshal,  city 
attorney ;  all  elected  for  two  years.  The  mayor  appoints  five  members  of 
the  bpard  of  public  works  for  three  years ;  five  members  of  the  board  of 
police  and  fire  commissioners  for  five  years;  three  members  of  the  board 
of  assessors  for  three  )'ears ;  three  members  of  the  board  of  health  for 
three  years  and  several  other  commissioners  for  two  years;  a  milk  inspector 
and  a  plumbing  inspector.  The  city  has  an  area  of  16.6  square  miles, 
divided  into  twelve  wards,  and  its  population   is   estimated  at   100,000. 

The  city  owns  its  water  works,  and  obtains  its  supply  from  the  Grand 
river  by  pumping,  clarified  by  sedimentation.  There  is  a  high  and  low 
pressure  service  with  160  miles  of  mains,  and  the  daily  pumpage  amounts 
to  14,000,000  gallons.  The  sewerage  system  comprises  150  miles  of  sew- 
ers. There  are  115  miles  of  unimproved  streets  and  177  miles  of  improved 
streets,  of  which  9  miles  are  paved  with  asphalt;  10  miles  with  brick;  8 
miles  with  macadam;  10  miles  with  cedar  block  and  140  miles  are  graveled. 

Geo.  E.  Ellis  is  the  present  mayor  of  Grand  Rapids. 


109 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


W.    M.  O'BRYAN 
Mayor  of  Owensboro,  Kentacky 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


©m^nHbnra 


The  City  of  Owensboro,  county  seat  of  Daviess  County,  Kentucky, 
situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  112  miles  southwest  of  Louisville,  is  at  present 
working  under  a  charter  obtained  in  1893.  The  mayor,  council  and  all 
administrative  officials  are  chosen  by  the  people  for  a  period  of  four  years. 
Its  area  is  2.3  square  miles,  and  its  population  is  now  estimated  at  21,000. 

The  city  owns  its  electric  light  plant,  erected  in  1900  at  a  total  cost  to 
date  of  $200,000.00.  The  current  is  furnished  for  commercial  light  and 
power  at  4%c  net  per  kilowatt  hour,  and  the  plant  has  proven  very  profita- 
ble to  the  city.  The  city  has  just  finished  its  water  works,  which  is  now  in 
operation,  and  extensions  of  water  mains  are  rapidly  made.  The  cost  up 
to  the  present  amounts  to  $350,000.00.  The  city  owns  and  operates  its 
scavenger  and  sprinkling  departments. 

Its  bonded  indebtedness  is  $513,000.00,  part  of  which  will  be  paid  off 
this  year.  Owensboro  has  a  large  tobacco  market,  there  being  30  tobacco 
stemmeries  in  the  city.  It  also  has  a  large  number  of  wagon,  glass,  tool 
and  other  factories.  Coal  mines  are  located  on  all  the  railroads  entering 
the  city,  some  of  them  just  outside  the  city.  The  assessed  valuation,  equal 
to  two-thirds  of  the  real  value,  was  $fS,3 12,42 1.00  in  1905,  and  the  tax  rate 
$20.00. 

W.  M.  O'Bryan  is  the  present  mayor  of  Owensboro. 


The  City  of  Aiken,  in  South  Carolina,  20  miles  from  Augusta,  Georgia, 
was  first  incorporated  in  1835,  and  chartered  as  a  city  in  1890.  The  char- 
ter was  revised  in  1897.  The  mayor  is  elected  for  two  years.  The  city  is 
principally  known  as  a  winter  resort.  Several  thousand  northern  people  of 
the  wealthiest  classes  spend  their  winters  there.  Its  streets  are  very  at- 
tractive. The  city  owns  its  water  works,  the  supply  being  derived  from  a 
number  of  artesian  wells.  There  is  a  good  sewerage  system,  and  the  city  is 
electrically  lighted.     Its  population  is  estimated  at  4,000. 

J.  B.  Salley  is  the  present  mayor  of  Aiken. 


ill 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


WILL    H,   ARNETT 
Mayor  of  Kokomo,  Indiana 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


Knknnw 


The  City  of  Kokomo,  the  county  seat  of  Howard  County,  Indiana, 
situated  55  miles  from  Indianapolis,  was  first  settled  in  1844,  and  was  in- 
corporated in  1845.  It  received  its  first  city  charter  in  1855,  and  is  now 
working  under  the  new  1905  Indiana  law.  The  area  of  the  city  is  2.4 
square  miles,  and  the  population  is  estimated  at  20,000. 

Kokomo  is  important  principally  as  a  manufacturing  centre,  particu- 
larly of  steel,  glass,  rubber,  cutlery  and  automobiles.  The  city  has  25 
mites  of  paved  streets,  consisting  of  asphalt,  brick  and  macadam.  It  has 
an  excellent  school  system,  and  an  unusually  attractive  park  system. 

Will  H.  Arnett  is  the  present  mayor  of  Kokomo. 


The  City  of  Lynn,  Massachusetts,  was  settled  in  1629  and  became  a 
city  in  1850.  It  is  at  present  working  under  a  new  charter  adopted  in  1900. 
The  government  is  vested  in  a  mayor,  elected  annually,  and  in  a  council, 
consisting  of  two  branches — a  board  of  aldermen  of  eleven  members,  elect- 
ed annually  at  large,  and  a  common  council  of  twenty-five  members,  elec- 
ted annually  by  the  various  wards.  A  board  of  public  works  and  a  board 
of  assessors,  each  of  three  members,  are  also  elected  by  the  people  for  a 
period  of  three  years.  All  other  city  officials  are  elected  either  by  the  coun- 
cil or  are  appointed  by  the  mayor  and  confirmed  by  the  board  of  aldermen. 
The  area  of  the  city  is  11.3  square  miles,  divided  into  seven  wards,  and  its 
population  is  estimated  at  80,000. 

Lynn  is  a  great  industrial  centre,  particularly  in  the  shoe  industry,  hav- 
ing the  largest  output  in  the  world  in  the  manufacturing  of  women's 
shoes.  There  are  also  large  electrical  apparatus  works  there,  employing 
more  than  11,000  laborers. 

The  city  has  120  miles  of  streets,  lighted  by  328  arc  lights  and  1,266  in- 
candescent lights.  The  sewerage  system  comprises  74  miles  of  sewers. 
The  city  owns  its  water  works,  the  average  daily  pumpage  being  5,132,753 
gallons,  distributed  by  138  miles  of  water  mains.  It  has  42  public  schools 
and  2  high  schools. 

Charles  Neal  Barney  is  the  present  mayor  of  Lynn. 


THE  BOOK   OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


H    W.   FRAZER 

Mayor  of  Georgetown,  Somli  Carolina 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERteAN  MUNICIPALITIES 


O5rorgrt0uitt 


The  City  of  Georgetown,  South  Carolina,  situated  at  the  head- of  Win- 
yah  Bay,  was  founded  about  1720.  It  is  generously  provided  with  \yide 
streets  and  beautiful  shade  trees,  making  a  residential  city  of  great  ad- 
vantages. Its  population  is  estimated  at  6,000.  Its  manufacturing  indus- 
tries are  principally  lumber  and  wood-working  plants.  The  agricultural 
products  of  the  surrounding  country  are  cotton,  rice,  corn  and  truck.  The 
city  obtains  its  water  supply  from  the  Black  river.  The  city  has  good 
schools,  sewers,  water  works,  paved  streets,  an  excellent  fire  department 
and  is  lighted  by  electricity.  It  has  a  progressive  council,  and  during  last 
year  much  work  of  municipal  improvements  along  all  lines  was  done.  A 
new  city  hall  is  being  projected  for  the  near  future,  while  a  new  school 
building  is  being  erected  at  a  cost  of  $35,000.00.  The  assessed  valuation, 
equal  to  60  per  cent  of  the  full  value,  is  $2,000,000.00 :  the  tax  rate,  $30.00. 

H.  W.  Fraser  is  the  present  mayor  of  Georgetown.  .  ; 


Jf^ra^Qutlb 


The  City  of  Jerseyville,  the  county  seat  of  Jersey  County,  Illinois,  was 
settled  in  1839,  and  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1867.  Its  population  is  esti- 
mated at  about  5,000.  The  city  has  good  brick-paved  streets;  owns  its  own 
water  works  and  is  electrically  lighted.  The  sanitary  sewers  terminat- 
ing in  septic  tanks  have  been  recently  completed.  It  has  a  good  system  of 
schools  and  a  high  school.  ; 

William  F.  Fahey  is  the  present  mayor  of  Jerseyville.       ^  .  , ._    .   .  , 


Git 
115 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


N^m  l^bfnrb 


The  City  of  New  Bedford  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts  was  first  set- 
tled in  1652.  It  was  incorporated  as  a  town  in  1787  and  as  a  city  in  1874^ 
and  is  at  present  governed  under  the  revised  charter  of  1896.  There  is  a 
bicameral  council,  consisting  of  a  board  of  six  aldermen  elected  at  large^ 
and  a  common  council,  consisting  of  four  members  for  each  of  the  six 
wards.  The  mayor  is  elected  annually.  He  appoints  the  board  of  health, 
a  license  commission  and  a  park  commission,  with  the  approval  of  the 
board  of  aldermen.  The  water  board,  fire  department  and  overseers  of  the 
poor  are  elected  by  the  city  council.  The  school  committee  is  chosen  by 
popular  vote.  The  area  of  the  city  is  19  square  miles,  and  its  population 
is  estimated  at  85,000. 

The  city  owns  its  water  works  and  obtains  its  supply  from  the  Quit- 
tacus  ponds  by  pumping.  There  are  106  miles  of  mains,  and  the  average 
daily  consumption  in  1906  was  6,916,880  gallons.  The  total  receipts  from 
water  rates  in  1906  was  $199,406.32.  The  total  cost  of  operation  and 
maintenance  was  $167,442.72,  and  $39,519.01  was  expended  for  exten- 
sions. 

There  are  145  miles  of  streets,  of  which  66  miles  are  paved  with  ma- 
cadam; 14  miles  with  cobblestone;  5  miles  with  granite;  2  miles  with 
bitulithic  and  2  miles  with  brick,  leaving  56  miles  unpaved.  There  are  73 
miles  of  sewers. 

The  city  has  34  schools,  with  an  average  daily  attendance  of  8,300- 
pupils,  taught  by  361  teachers,  at  an  expenditure  of  $275,000.00.  The 
fire  department  numbers  226  men  and  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of  $90,000.00. 
The  police  department  numbers  119  men  and  is  maintained  at  a  cost  of 
$123,000.00. 

The  total  expenditures  of  the  city  amount  to  $1,100,000.00.  The  city's 
assessed  vahiation  of  property,  the  same  as  actual  value,  for  1905  was 
$64,349,661.00,  and  the  tax  rate  $19.40.  The  total  bonded  indebtedness 
on  June  1,  1906,  was  $4,399,000,  against  which  the  sinking  funds  held 
$1,340,893.00. 

Charles  S.  Ashley  is  the  present  mayor  of  New  Bedford. 


lie 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Water  Works  Economy 


JF  YOU  ARE  INTERESTED  in  municipal  water  works,  we  invite  your 
attention  to  one  of  the  features  of  the  Washington  Heights  pumping  station 
of  the  Chicago  water  works  system.  The  pressure  carried  at  this  station  is  better, 
more  uniform,  and  more  satisfactory  to  the  consumers  than  that  at  any  other  pump- 
ing station  in  the  city. 

This  condition  has  been  brought  about  by  the  construction  of  a  large  elevated 
tank  connected  to  the  distribution  system.  An  inspection  of  the  following  figures, 
(covering  a  period  of  five  years)  showing  the  cost  of  fuel  for  pumping,  will  con- 
vince you  that  this  is  one  of  the  best  investments  the  city  ever  made. 


Yew 

1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 


Million  Gals. 
Pumped 

107.7 
118.2 
139.1 
157.2 
243.7 


Billion 

Total  Cost 

Fi.Lbt. 

OI 

Fuel 

98 

$1453 

100 

2345 

94 

2852 

187 

2028 

290 

2508 

^^jjiimm 

^"' 

r^ 

1 

' 

1 

1 

! 

.            I^fl 

^ 

m 

M 

^TTf 

Wl 

g 

jj^jp^ 

H 

1 

PPI^ 

^^ 

1 

Cost  Per 

Billion 

Ft.  Lbs. 

$14.82 

23.45 

30.50 

10.84 

8.65 


IDuring  1899  and  a  portion  of  1900  an  ele- 
vated wood  tank  was  in  service.  It  leaked  so 
badly  that  it  was  abandoned  and  the  system  oper- 
ated by  direct  pressure  until  January  1  st,  1 902,  at 
which  time  the  1 80,000  gallon  steel  tank  shown 
in  the  illustration  was  put  into  service. 

The  figures  showing  the  cost  of  fuel  per  unit  of 
duty  during  1 90 1  when  the  system  operated  by 
direct  pressure,  compared  with  the  two  followang 
years  when  pumping  to  the  elevated  tank,  indicate 
the  saving  to  the  city  in  fuel  alone ;  the  saving  in 
wear  and  tear  on  the  pumps  and  mains  is  inestimable. 

The  figures  showing  the  units  of  duty  during 
the  same  years  indicate  the  increase  in  pressure 
which  has  been  so  satisfactory  to  the  public. 

If  your  water  works  system  is  operating  by 
direct  pressure,  we  invite  your  investigation  of 
this  improvement. 


Chicago  Bridge  &  Ironworks 

105th  &  Throop  Sis.,  Chicago,  111. 


A-1 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Chicago  Improved  Cube  Concrete  Mixer 


CUBE  MIXERS  are  used  more  extensively  on 

Government  work  than  any  other  type  of  machine. 
Write  for  our  Catalogue  No.  62  and  we  will 
tell  you  why.  Mounted  and  equipped  to  meet  any 
requirement.     Made  in  seven  sizes. 


The  Chicago  Sewer  Excavator 

THE  ONLY  PRACTICAL  machine  in  existence 
for  excavation  of  sewer  and  water  works  trenches. 
Thoroughly  tried  and  proven.  References  from 
contractors  who  have  used  them  from  nearly  every 
state  in  the  Union.  Machines  are  leased  on  extreme- 
ly low  yardage  basis  of  cost.  Capacity  1 4  in.  to  60  in. 
width  and  up  to  20  ft.  depth.    Catalogue  No.  162. 


Municipal   Engineering  and  Contracting  Co. 


New  York  Office:  90  West  Street 


General  Offices  :  Railway  Exchange,  Chicago 


Marshall  &Huschart 
=Machinery  Co*=i 


Machine  Tools 

FOR    EQUIPMENT    OF 

Manual  Training  Schools 
and   Municipal    Shops 


109  Kentucky  Avenue 
INDIANAPOLIS 


62  S.  Canal  St. 
CHICAGO 


908  N.  Second  St. 
ST.  LOUIS 


McDowell,  Stocker  &  Co. 


MACHINERY 

IRON    WORKING 
WOOD  WORKING 

New      a  71  d       Used 


59  and  61  South  Canal  Street 
Chicago,   Illinois 


» 


BRANCHES 

Milwaukee,  Wis.  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 

Denver,  Colorado 


A-2, 


THfi  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


OS    <a 

2-1 

c5 


o 
o 


I< 
z  -p 


A-3 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


THE 


NORTHWESTERN  TERRA  GOTTA  CO. 


CHICAGO 


K 


Manufacturers  of  the  Highest 
Grades  of 


Architectural  Terra  Cotta 


Main  Office  <St  Works 

1000  Clybourn  Avenue 


Branch  Office 

1415  Railway  Exchange  Building 


Beknhard  Ruud, 
Pres.  and  Treas. 


J.    NiLSEN, 

Vice-Pres. 


IS: 


H.  J.  Wesemann 
Secretary 


CHAS*  H.  RECTOR 
COMPANY 


HOUSE  MOVING 

RAISING  and  SHORING 

CONTRACTORS 


407,  US  DEARBORN  STREET 

TELEPHONES: 
CENTRAL  2872  AUTOMATIC  4872 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 


James  McDonald,  Pres.  John  McDonald,  Treas. 

Wm.  Job,  Vice-Pres. 

Long  Distance  Telephone,  Harrison  4590  and  4591 

Interstate  Goal  &  Coke  Go. 

MINERS   and    SHIPPERS    OF 

High -Grade 

COALS 


Nelsonville  Hocking  Wilmington 

Sullivan  Co.,  Indiana  Carterville 

Linton  Semi-Block  Smokeless 

Springfield,  111.  Fairmont 

Job's  Triumph  Hocking  Youghiogheny 

We  Guarantee  All  Our  Coals  to  be  of  Best  Quality  and 
Preparation.     ^  Prompt  Attention  Given  to  All  Orders 

1536  =  1545  Old  Colony  Bldg. 

CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 


/A-4 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


During  the  erection  of  the  new  Cook  County  Court  House,  where 
a  remarkable  record  has  been  made  for  speed,  economy  and  perfection 
of  building  never  before  approached,  the  interests  of  Cook  County  were 
guarded  by  JOHN  M.  EWEN,  who  served  as  supervising  engineer  in 
general  charge. 

As  a  result  a  contract  has  just  been  closed  under  which  Mr.  Ewen 
is  t6  serve  in  the  same  capacity,  representing  the  interests  of  the  City  of 
Chicago  during  the  erection  of  the  new  City  Hall. 

Correspondence  is  solicited  with  those  in  charge  of  proposed  im- 
portant public  or  private  buildings,  who  desire  to  accomplish  results 
similar  to  those  represented  by  the  Cook  County  Court  House. 


John  M.  Ewen  Company 

ENGINEERS   AND   BUILDERS 

THE  ROOKERY,  CHICAGO 




BRANCH    OFFICES 

— 

98   King    Street   West.   Toronto,    Canada 
Rockefeller    Building,    Cleveland.   Ohio 

•A-6 


The  book  Of  American  municipalities 


James  H.  Fuertes 

Hydraulic    and    Sanitary 

ENGINEER 

Member  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers 

140   Nassau   Street 
NEW  YORK 


RUDOLPH  HERING 

—  AND  = 

GEORGE  W.  FULLER 

'    Consultinsf  Hydraulic  Enjfineers 

AND 

Sanitary  Experts 

1  70  Broadway,  NEW  YORK 


Water  Supply  and  Water  Puriflcation 
Sewerage  and  Sewage  Disposal 
Hydraulic  Power  Installations 


WATER  SUPPLY    :    WATER  PURIFICATION 

SEWERAGE  and  SEWAGE  DISPOSAL 

CITY    REFUSE    DISPOSAL 

ELxEuninations,  Reports,  Plans 
Construction  Superintended.    Expert  Testimony 


The  American  Posting  Service 

^The  Only  Billposters  Covering  Chicago  Proper 
~ "       •      '      and  Suburban  Environments. 

178-180    WEST    JACKSON    BOULEVARD.    CHICAGO 

TELEPHONE:  MONROE   1965 


AMERICAN    I>ITTI^ER    SEWAOE    DISPOSAI^    CO. 

CIVIL    AND    SANITARY    ENGINEERS 


■  SPECIALTIES  ■ 


Waterworks,  Sewers,  Sewage  Purification  and  Disposal,  Trades'  Waste  Purification 
WHITE  FOR  INFORMATION  AND  ESTIMATES  1123     BROADWAY,    NEW    YORK    CITY 


WILLIAM   H.  BRYAN,  M.  Am.  Soc.  M.  E. 

Consulting,  Mechanical  and 
Electrical  Engineer 

Water  Works,  Power  Plants,  Heating  and  Ventilation,  Elevators, 

*  Smoke  Abatement,  Etc. 

Lincoln  Trust  Building  ST.  LOVIS,  MO. 


JAMES   B.  McCORD,  Assoc.  M.Am.  Soc.  C.E. 

CIVIL   ENGINEER 

Water  Worts,  Filtration,  Reports  on  Properties  of 
Public  Service  Corporations. 

29  Broadway  NEW   YORK 


A-lB 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


liiiii 

'^ffi  1 1 1  na II iTi ! imTiinl 


E.  J.  McDONOUGH 

Heating,  Ventilation 
and    Power    Plants 

230   and   232    Kinzie  Street 

Telephone  Central    1519 

Chicago 


A-7 


THE  BOOK   Of  AMERICAN  MUNICIPALITIES 


If 


DIMENSIONS- 87"  high  x 

54"  deep  X  59"  wdc. 
Net  weight.  411   lbs.      Weight 

packed  for  shipment  673  lbs. 


Mills 


Automatic   Virtuosa 

(A  Violin  Played  by  Mechanical  Means) 


Q  Mills  Automatic  Virtuosa,  unlike  most  auto- 
matic instruments,  has  nothing  of  the  mechanical 
about  the  music  it  renders.  The  ordinary  person 
cannot  distinguish  between  the  playing  ot  the 
Virtuosa  and  that  of  a  professional  violinist. 
fl  This  perfection  of  rendition  is  possible  because 
OT  the  wonderful  ability  of  the  Virtuosa  to  repro- 
duce perfectly  every  musical  impression  such  as 
Legato,  Staccato,  Spiccato,  Shake.  Trill,  etc. 
fl  lb  playing  is  not  limited  in  range.  It  plays 
the  finest  compositions  of  the  world-noted  com- 
posers or  popular  melodies  with  equal  ease,  with 
perfect  tempo  and  string  orchestral  eSect. 

Senior  &  Johnson,  Montgomery,  Ala.,  say: 
"  The  Virtuosa  is  a  great  machine,  a  good 
money  getter  and  a  great  entertainer." 

CO.  Bannister,  Leadville,  Colo.,  says:  "The 
Automatic  Violin  (Vlrtuosa)  has  given 
excellent  satisfaction  and  I  have  nothing  but 
words  of  appreciation  for  it." 


"  The  Musical 

Marvel 
of  the  Age." 


^  Pronounced  by  eminent  musi- 
cians, musical  critics,  composers 
and  scientists  as  a  musical  won- 
der and  a  miracle  of  mechanical 
achievement. 

^  Operates  with  an  electric  cur- 
rent by  means  of  cither  coin  or 
push  button. 

^  Operating  cost  is  a  mere  trifle. 
By  our  library  exchange  arrange- 
ment, it  can  be  supplied  with  all 
the  newest  up-to-date  muac  at  a 

nominal  cost. 


Write  Today  for  Handsomely  Illustrated  Descriptive  Booklet  and   Prices. 

MILLS       NOVELTY       COMPANY 

I23A  Mill.  BuUding  CHICAGO,   ILL.        Jackson  Blvd.  and  Green  Si. 

LttTgest  manuf&cturers  of  Coin  Operated  Machines  In  the  world 


PNEUMATIC 
CLOCK    SYSTEMS 

INSTALLED    BY 

HAHL  AUTOMATIC  CLOCK  CO. 

SOLE  MANUFACTURERS 

CHICAGO,    ILLINOIS 


SEE  CLOCK  SYSTEM  IN  NEW  COUNTY  BLDG. 


ndnnnnnn 


f 


TOTHILL 

PLAYGROUND 

APPARATUS 

Made  for  COMFORT. 
STRENGTH  and 
DURABILITY 

Strongest,  Safest  and  Most  Perfect  Apparatus 
Manufactured 


USED  EXCLUSIVELY  BY  THE 
CITY  OF  CHICAGO 


Send  for  Illustrated   Catalogue  showing 
Municipal  Playgrounds  of  Chicago. 

W.  S.  TOTHILL 

(EstabHshed  1875) 
122-128  W.  Webster  Avenue,         CHICAGO,  ILL. 


A-8 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Fort  Wayne 
Electric  Works 


THE  FACTORY  BEHIND  THE  FAMOUS 

"Wood'*  Systems 

OF  STREET  ARC   LIGHTING 

Pioneers 

IN  THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  STREET  ARC  LIGHTING 

SYSTEMS 


Leaders  Still 


MAIN    OFFICE    AND    FACTORY 

FORT   WAYNE.  IND 


BRANCH   OFFICES   IN    MOST  LARGE  CITIES 


Atlanta,  Ga.,  1316  Empire  BIdg. 
Boston,  Mass.,  1 10  State  Street. 
Chicago,  III.,  623  Marquette  Bids. 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  1125  Union  Trust  Bldg. 
Detroit,  Mich. ,  1 1 0  5  Chamber  o(  Commerce  Bldg. 


Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  310  Murray  Bldg. 
New  Orleans,  La.,  1007  Hennen  Bldg. 
New  York,  N.  Y.,  40  New  Street. 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  41  5  North  American  Bldg. 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  812  Empire  Bldg. 


San  Francisco,  Cal.,  403  Atlas  Bldg. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  323  Lincoln  Trust  Bldg. 
St.  Paul,  Minn.,  615  Germania  Life  Bldg. 
Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  717  DUlaye  Bldg. 
Yolcohoma,  Japan,  Bagnall  &  Hilles. 


A-9 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


r 


JOHN    PEIRCE    COMPANY,    New  York  and  Chicago 

CONTRACTORS    FOR    THE    INTERIOR        ,.        Geo.  F.  Bodwell,  General  Western  Agent,      ..        GRANITE,     STONE,    and 
MARBLE  WORK  OF  ABOVE  BUILDING.        ••     508  Western  Union  Building,  Chicago,  111.       •»      MARBLE  WORK  a  Specialty. 


L.  D.  BINYON,  PiM.  H.  L.  MATZ,  Vice-Piw. 

W.  H.  DYMOND,  Secy,  and  Treas. 
M.  N.  KIMBELL,  Assi.  Secy. 


S.  S.  Kimbell   Brick  Co. 


FACING  BRICK 
OF  ALL  KINDS 

DRY  PRESSED  AND  IMPERVIOUS 


Room  304 


Chamber    of   Commerce   Building 
CHICAGO 


WAREHOUSES: 
46th  Ave.  and  W.  Polk  St. 
Roscoe  and  Racine  Ave. 
6315  Wenlworth  Ave. 


PHONES; 

Main   1392  and    1399 

Automatic  273 1 


THE  CLEVELAND  STONE  COMPANY 
THE  OHIO  QUARRIES  COMPANY 

5rna«trrH  nf  tift  (Htltbratth 

CAPACITY  OVER  200  CARS  PER  DAY 

Western  Offices:    445  to   448  Marquette    Building 

Correspondence  Solicited 

A-10 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


ILLINOIS  TUNNEL  60. 

177-179  MONROE  STREET 


50  Miles  of  Subways 

NOW   IN   OPERATION 

Serving  all  of  the  business  district  of  Chicago — Transports 
Merchandise,  Coal  and   U.  S.   Mails.      Connections  made 
with  all  R.  R.  Freight  Houses,  and  with  prominent  busi- 
ness houses  and  large  office  buildings. 


All  new  large  office  buildings  in  the  Tunnel  district  will 
have  subway  basements  connecting  with  Tunnel  System. 


All 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Are  You  a  Well-Posted  Man? 

Every  municipal  official  should  be  abreast  of  the  times  in  the  matter  of  public  utility  equipment.  This 
doesn^t  mean  that  to  be  well  informed  he  must  be  a  technical  man,  any  more  than  a  man  must  be  a  tailor  to 
be  well  dressed.     It  means  merely  that  he  should  be  well  posted. 

Are  you  well  posted  on  the  latest  and  best  in  water  supply,  gas,  street  railway  and  telephone  systems  ? 
Do  you  know  what  is  newest  and  best  in  each  ? 

For  instance,  do  you  know  that  there  is  a  practical  automatic  or  *'  girlless  "  telephone  that  is  in  use  in  many 
cities  of  the  United  States,  is  giving  satisfaction  everywhere,  and,  more  than  anything  else,  has  helped  to  weaken, 
and,  in  many  cities  to  break  the  grasp  of  the  Bell  monopoly  where  it  is  operating  in  competition  therewith  ? 
It  gives  the  ideal  telephone  service,  prompt,  accurate  and  absolutely  secret,  and  should  be  adopted  in  your  city. 

We  shall  be  glad  to  tell  you  all  about  this  automatic  system,  which  has  been  adopted  in  the  following  cities: 


Aberdeen,  South  Dakota. 
Akron,  Ohio. 
Allen  town.  Pa. 
Auburn,  Me. 
Aubum,  N.  Y. 
Battle  Creek,  Mich. 
Beaver  Falls,  Pa. 
Bellingham,  Wash. 
Butte.  Mont. 
Cadillac,  Mich. 
Champaign ,  ID. 
Chicago,  III. 
Qebume,  Texas. 


Columbus,  Ga. 
Columbus,  Ohio. 
Dayton,  Ohio. 
Denver,  Colo. 
El  Paso,  Texas. 
Emaus.  Pa. 
Fall  River,  Mass. 
Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 
Hastings,  Neb. 
Havana,  Cuba. 
Hazelton,  Pa. 
HoUand.  Mich. 
Hopkinsville,  Ky. 
Jonesboro,  Ark. 


Lake  Benton,  Minn. 
Lewiston,  Me. 
Lincoln,  Neb. 
Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
Manchester,  Iowa. 
Marianao,  Cuba. 
Marion.  Ind. 
Medford,  Wis. 
Miamisburg,  Ohio. 
Mt.  Olive,  lU. 
New  Bedford,  Mass. 
Oakland,  Cal. 
Ocean  Park,  Cal. 
Omaha,  Neb. 


Penlwater,  Mich. 
Portland,  Me. 
Portland,  Ore. 
Princeton,  N.  J. 
Richmond,  Ind. 
Riverside,  Cal. 
Rochester,  Pa. 
Rushville,  Ind. 
San  Diego,  Cal. 
San  Francisco,  Cal. 
Santa  Monica,  Cal. 
Saskatoon,  Sask..  Can. 
Sioux  City,  Iowa. 
South  Bend,  Ind. 


Spokane,  Wash. 
SprinsBetd,  Mo. 
St.  Marys,  Ohio. 
Tacoma,  Wash. 
Toronto  Junction.  Can. 
Traverse  City,  Mich. 
Urbana,  III. 
Van  Wert.  Ohio. 
WaUa  WaUa.  Wash. 
Wausau,  Wis. 
Westerly.  R.  1. 
Wilmington,  Del. 
Woodstock,  N.  B.,  Can. 


Automatic  Electric  Company 

Van  Buren  and  Morgan  Sts.,  Chicago,  U.  S.  A. 


CHICAGO 


George  W.  Jackson*  inc..  Contractors 

169-179  West  Jackson  Boulevard.  Chicago 

T.i..i.»..>o  J  Monroe  3400 
T«'«P'"'"«*/ Automatic  3119 


NEW   YORK 


ALL    DKPAHTMENTS 


OUR  STEtl.  PLANT  COVERS  AN  AREA   OF  10S,e42  SQUARE   FEET. 


Bridges, 
Structural   Steel   Machinery, 

Steel  Sheeting, 

Steel  Ribs  and  Lagging  (Pat.) 

Subways,  Tunnels 

and  Heavy  Foundations. 


ESTIMATES  FURNISHED 
::  ON  APPLICATION    :: 


Steel  Works: 
804-810  Elston  Ave.  and  80-98  MendellSt. 

Warehouse:  178-190  West  Quincy  Street 


A-12 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


'Hloh  Grade  Natural  flsplialts" 


-For  Paving  and  Waterproofing  Purposes- 


Excel  the  Artificial  ...  Unaffected  by  Water 


AS   SHOWN   IN   ACTUAL   USE 


IVEABS  I.OXOER  THAN  MAX-MAI>E 
:  :  :   ASPHA1.TS  ANI>  COAI.  TAR   :     : 


The  A.  L.  Barber  Asphalt  Co, 

90  West  Street.  New  York 


Blpba 

portlanb  Cement 

ON  THE  MARKET  SINCE  1891 

Largely   used   by   U.  S.   Government, 

Railroads   and    Municipalities  where 

a   True   Portland  of  the  Highest 

Quality  is  required. 


BEST  IN  THE  WORLD  FOR  SIDEWALKS 


Annual  Output  5.000,000  Barrels 


GENERAL  OFFICE,    EASTON,    PA. 


BRANCH  OFRCES: 

Board  of  Trade  Buildins,  Boston        Si.  Paul  Buildins.  ■  . .  New  York 

Builders  Exchange Buffalo        Hanison  Building  ■  ■  Philadelphia 

Builders  Exchange.   -  Baltimore        Marquette  Building  ...Chicago 
German  National  Bank  Building. . .  ■  Pittsburg 


CHICAGO  PORTLAND  CEMENT  CO. 


MANUFACTURER  OF 
ii 


Portland 
Cement 


WE  MAKE  ONE  BRAND  ONLY. 
THE  BEST  THAT  CAN  BE  MADE. 


6500  bbls.  used  in  Kankakee  reinforced  concrete  bridge. 

53300  bbls.  used  in  Thebes  bridge. 

1050  bbls.  used  in  Kenosha  reinforced  concrete  bridge. 


Henepin    Canal,   Government    Post    Offices, 

Principal  Railroads,    Dealers,  Concrete 

Block  Manufacturers  and  Contractors 

in  the  Northwest,  our  patrons. 


A- 13 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


WE  ARE  THE  LA 

RGEST  PRODDCERS  AND  MANUFACTDRERS 

IN  THE  WORLD 

Pure  Asphalt 

Mineral  Rubber 

IMastic 

Pipe  Dip  and 
Coatings 

Roofing  Materials 

Railroad  Coatings 

Insulating  Gums 

Waterproofing 

Paint  and  Varnish 
Gums 

Paving  Asphalt  and 
Fillers 

Our  product  is  always  uniform,  containing  100  per  cent.  Bitumen,  and  is  ready  for  use  when  it 
leaves  the  factory.      if  quality  and  price  is  an  object  write  us  before  malcing  your  contract. 

Standard  Asphalt  and  Rubber  Co. 


General  :OFFicEs:  944  first  National  bank  building 
CHICAGO,  ILL.,  U.  S.  A. 


John  A.  McGarry  H.  Kowler 

JOHN  A.  McGARRY 
&  COMPANY 


WM.  KISSACK,  President  and  General  Manager. 

Atttmran 


CONTRACTORS 


609  Security  Building 
Chicago 


MANUFACTURERS  OF 


OIru0l|fli  Htm^Btmtf 


AND  DEALERS  IN 


(£.t\XBl\eb(^mmti  ana  PantngiMalgrialH 


STREET  PAVING  CONTRACTORS 


92    La  Salle    Street, 


I 


Phone  Main  4914 


Telephone  Main  1112 


CHICAGO 


A-14 


THE   BOOK    OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


NO   MUNICIPALITY  IS  COMPLETE 

WITHOUT  A  

Modern   Telephone   System 

and  Chicago  excels  in   this  as  in   many  other  respects. 

146,000  telephones  connected  with  the  Chicago  Telephone 
Company's  System  in  Chicago,  of  which  more  than 
58,000  are  in  residences. 

In  addition  .55,000  in  adjoining  counties. 
Millions  throughout  the  country. 
•      Particulars  furnished  upon  request. 

Chicago  Telephone  Company 

Main  294  :  203  Washington  Street 


Municipal  Problems 


PERTAINING  TO 


Water  Supply  and 
Sewage  Disposal 


^  Chemical  Analysis  and 
Bacteriological  Investiga- 
tions Solicited. 

^Plansand  Specifications 
Furnished. 

Consulting    Chemical 
Engineering  Co. 

Suite  755-6  Monadnock  Bldg. 
Chicago 


fAST  YEAR,  when  the 
League  of  American 
Municipalities  desired 
some  suitable  badge  to 
be  given  to  the  delegates 
and  representatives  at 
their  convention,  careful  and  farseeing 
business  men  representing  this  organiza- 
tion, secured  their  badges  from  the  firm 

DIEGES  &  CLUST 

614-616  Schiller  Building 
CHICAGO 

because  they  knew,  after  thorough  in- 
vestigation that  they  could  obtain  better 
results  from  this  old  established  firm,  than 
from  any  Jewelry  Manufacturer  in  the 
United  States. 

€[  We  solicit  your  patronage  for  Municipal  Jew- 
els, Badges,  Medals,  Loving  Cups,  City  Keys. 
fl  All  inquiries  will  receive  prompt  and  careful 
attention.     Address,  R.  T.  Laughlin,  Manager. 

'•If  We  Made  It.  If  s  Right.'- 


A-15 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Aluminum  Company  of  America 


Manufacturers  of 


Hluminum 


Sheet,  Wire,  Rod,  Ingot,  Tubing  and  Shapes,  also  Power  Transmission  Wire 
Railway  Feeders,  Electric  Light  Wire  and  Bus  Bars 


UNITED  STATES  ALUMINUM  COMPANY 

FINISHED  GOODS  DEPARTMENT 

Spinning,  Stamping  and  Casting  Work 

MAIN  OFFICE:  1504  Park  Building:,  Pittsbargfh,  Pennsylvania 

ST.  LOUIS  OFFICE:  616  National  Bank  of  Commerce  Building,  St.  Louis,  Missouri 


THE 


Card  Index  Addressograph 

Prints 

3000 

Addresses 
per  hour 


Fac-Simile  of    the 
Best  Typewriting 

NO  ERRORS 


USED  BY  HUNDREDS  OF  MUNICIPALITIES 

for  heading  Water,  Electric  Light,  Gas  and  Telephone  bills. 
Addressing  Envelopes,  Cards,  Etc.  Send  for  Catalog  No.  1 1 


ADDRESSOGRAPH     CO. 

232-240  West  Van  Buren  St. 
CHICAGO.  ILL. 


A-16 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


KELLY-SPRINGFIELD  STEAM  ROAD  ROLLERS 


A 

L 
L 

T 
Y 

P 
E 
S 


A 

L 
L 

S 
I 

Z 
E 
S 


The    KELLY-SpRrNGFiELD    Road    Roller    Co. 

SPRINGFIELD,     OHIO 


Highest  Prize  for  50  Years  iVp'^rrnVt'd 

stock  Shows  for  Hay,  Grain  or  Stock  Scales. 
Steel  Frame  and  Royal  Scale  Rack. 


0. 

o 


ONLY  RELIABLE  AND  DURABLE  PITLESS  SCALE  MADE. 

Sleel  Frainis  furaUhed  for  all  our  Scales,  old  or  new.     All  Scales 

Warranted.     Many  Correct  after  40  years. 

Every  Farmer  Should  have  a  Fire  Proof  Safe  for  Valuables. 

Chicago  Scale  Co.,  296  W.  Jackson  Boulevard,  Chicago,  III. 

T.  W    PHINNCY,  JULIAft  J.  PLEAS,  T.  P.  HENDCnSOrt, 

PRC8IOCNT  VICC'PRESlDENT  SECY.    AND   TREAS. 

ESTABLISHED  1859 

CHICAGO  UNION  L!ME  WORKS  GO. 


-Producers  and  Shippers  of- 


LIME  AND  CRUSHED  STONE 


Telephones: 
Main  3480 
Automatic  eiei 


Room  308 

Chamber  of  Commerce  BIdg. 

CHICAGO 


A-17 


W,  J.  Newman 

Teaming  Contractor 

Excavating    and    Wrecking 


Room    405,    84    La  Salle    Sheet 

CHICAGO 


TELEPHONES 


Kedzie    206    Residence  Central  509 1     Lake  Front 

Monroe  928    I  50  S.  Curtis  St.       Main   1693  1^-     riffi 

Monroe  3812  f        Yards  Automatic  5695  f '"''"'  """^ 


JOHN  PETERSON  &  CO. 
(HonlrartorH  nnh  ImlbgrB 

Suite    926,      153     LaSalle    Street 
CHICAGO 

Telephone  Central   1920 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


r 


STONE  CRUSHING  PLANTS 

(STATIONARY   AND   PORTABLE) 

ROAD  GRADING  MACHINES 
STREET  ROLLERS 
BOTTOM  DUMP  WAGONS 

1^  ETC.,  ETC. 

STREET  AND  ROAD  RUILDING  MACHINERY  and  APPLIANCES 

Correspondence  Invited  by  the  Manufacturers 


INDIANA  ROAD  MACHINE  COMPANY,  onoorpora.ed, 


FORT  WAYNE,  INDIANA 


Kokomo,  Marion  &  Western  Traction  Co. 

KOKOMO.  INDIANA. 


D.C  JENKINS  GLASS  COMPANY 

KOKOMO,  INDIANA,  U.  S.  A. 


Table  Glassware 

MANUFACTURERS     

Stemware         :       Tumblers 

:        Fish  Globes 

Glass  Bottles 

:              Lantern  Globes        : 
Write  for  Prices 

Packers'  Wares 

A-l« 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


A  DAILY  EXPOSITION  OF  MUNICIPAL  ECONOMY 
WHEREVER  WATSON  DUMPING  WAGONS  ARE  USED 


The  Municipal  officer  who  has  had  extended 
experience  in  contract  work  always  specifies 
"  Vatson  Dump  Wagons^'  when  he  wants  a 
job  done  in  a  hurry. 


Watson  GradiDg  Wagons-Watson  Garbage  Wagons-Watson  Asphalt  Wagons 

These  wagfons  have  been  built  for  over  twenty  years  of  the  same  grade  of 
materials — air-dried,  thoroughly  seasoned  Adirondack  Birch  in  the  bodies,  second 
growth,  "A"  grade  white  oak  spokes  and  a  care  in  construction  which  makes 
them  practically  unbreakable. 

Read  the  complete  story  of  progress  and  success  in  big,  new^  catalog. 

Watson  Wagon  Co.     Canastota,  N.  Y. 


The  Seagrave  Company 

Manufacturers  of  the  Highest  Grade 

Fire   Department    Apparatus 

Municipalities  contemplating  the  purchase  of  Fire 
Department  Equipment  would  make  a  gross  mistake 
if  this  company  was  not  consuhed  before  making 
the  purchase.  If  it  is  the  BEST  you  want,  we 
make  it.  Aerial  Ladder  Trucks,  Water  Tower, 
City  and  Village  Hook  and  Ladder  Trucks,  Hose 
Wagons,  Chemical  Engines,  Combinations  of 
Chemical  Engine  and  Hose  Wagons  and  Hook 
and  Ladder  Trucks,  Trussed  Ladders.  Hose  Carts, 
Fire  Extinguishers,  Supplies,  Etc.,  Etc. 

COLUMBUS.  = 


OHIO 


THE  EVERLASTING  Tt^e^^  DOUBLETREES 

Pattern  No.  56— A.    General  Contractor's  Special 


CPFr*  IPV     **'"*  your  Dump  Wagons,  Sprinklers  and  Sweepers  be  Equipped 
OrLUlr/       with    them.      Weight    no   heavier.      PRICE,  COST  NO  MORE 

PITTSBUROn  TUBULAR  &TEEU  WMIFFLETREE  GOMPflNY,  PIltsDurQll.  Pa. 


A^19 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Wagons 


Carri  \ges 


Harness 


Automobiles 


The  Studebaker  name  plate  on  a  vehicle  is  a  guarantee  that  you  wi'l  receive  full  value  for  its 

purchase  price. 

With  the  purchase  of  every  Studebaker  vehicle  you  secure  safety,  service  and  satisfaction. 

We  manufacture  a  full  line  of  municipal  wagons,  including  street  sv^reepers,  street  sprinklers, 
dump  wagons,  garbage  wagons,  sanitary  wagons,  hand  carts,  etc. 

SEND  FOR    CATALOG 

STUDEBAKER  BROS.  MFG.  CO.,  South  Bend.  Ind. 


Largest 


vehicle 


manufacturers        in        th 


world. 


Charles  Abresch  Co. 

nakers  of 

Fire   Department  Wagons 

Police  Patrol  Wagons 

Ambulances,  Etc. 

(Built  to  Last) 
Milwaukee         :         :        Wisconsin 


ESTABLISHED     1887 

MILLER 
Chemical  EngineCo* 

149-151    E.  HURON  STREET 
CHICAGO 

GENERAL     MANUFACTURERS 

FIRE 

1    IJX  J-^ 

APPLIANCES 

CHEMICAL    ENGINES 

18  TO  60  GALLONS  CAPACITY 

HOSE    WAGONS, CARTS, 
HOOK  AND   LADDER  TRUCKS, 
WAREHOUSE    CARTS,     ETC. 

STANDARD    SODA  AND  ACID    FIRE    EXTINGUISHERS 
MILLER     COMPRESSED    AIR    FIRE    EXTINGUISHERS 

A— 20 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 

IT^IRE    Department 

_=_Supplies 


MADE  BY 


Chas.  L.  Bastian 

Manufacturing  Co. 

76-82  Illinois  Street 
CHICAGO.  ILL. 


ARE   SUPERIOR  IN  QUALITY  AND   FINISH  TO 
ANY  MANUFACTURED   IN  AMERICA  :::::::: 

WRITE  FOR  CATALOGVE 


FIRE  ENGINE 

SUCTION  HOSE 


ELEPHANT  BRAND 


-GUARANTEED- 


BEST  ON  EARTH 

Fire     Engine    Valves    a    Specialty 

Steam     and     Water      Hose 

WRITE  US 


THE 


MECHANICAL     RUBBER    CO. 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 


A-21 


THE   BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Telephone  Central 


C,  EVERETT  CLARK 
COMPANY 


GENERAL 


CONTRACTORS 
AND  BUILDERS 

SUITE  J  405-6,  TITLE  AND  TRUST  BLDG. 

J  00  Washington  Street 
CHICAGO,  ILL. 


Wastes  Disposal 

We   are    Contractors    for 

Garbage     Crematories 

A   number  of   them   have  been    in- 
stalled   for    the   U.   S.   Government 


We   are    Contractors    for 

Sewage   Disposal   Plants 

We  can  show  such  plants  of  many 
different  sizes 

We   are    Contractors    for 

Ventilation   of   Buildinors 

We  have  successful  installations  in 
twenty-two  states 

Lewis  and  Kitchen 

Chicago  and  Kansas  City 


Peter  Pirsch  &  Co. 

Everything  for  the 
Fire  Department 

HOSE  WAGONS      :      TRUCKS 
TRUSSED    LADDERS,    ETC. 


niifi<  Telephone  Harrison  5283 

POUND 

Engineering  and  Contracting  Co. 

Suite  817,  The  Rookery 
Chicago 


Telephone  555 


Kenosha,  Wis. 


WILLIAM    H.  WARREN 
PRESIDENT    AND    TREASURER 


1  he  Vv  arren  Construction  Co. 


GENERAL 
CONTRACTORS 
FOR   BUILDERS 


1152-53  Monadnock  Building,  Chicago 

Telephone  Harrison  738 


New  York  Office:  Maiden  Lane  Bids.,  170  Broadway.  New  York 

FREDERICK  VOSS 

Manufacturer  of 

Architectural  and  Decorative 

WIRE    AND    IRON    WORK 

Wire  Lathing  a  Specialty 

Q  Bank  and  Office  Railings.  Elevator  and  Window 
Guards,  Stair  Rails,  Iron  Fences. 
q  Stable   Fittings,  Wire   Cloth  and  Wire  Goods 
of  every  description. 

617-631   Austin  Ave.,  Cor.  Lincoln  Street 

Telephone  West    757 
ChlCAQO 


A— 32 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


^be  /llbutual  JBanh 

Heyworth  Building 


^  3$  and  one-half  the  profits  guaranteed  to  savings  depositors. 
^  Paid  Slfo  interest  January  1 ,  1  907  to  savings  depositors. 
^  Expect  to  pay  more  January  1 ,  1  908. 
^  Send  for  booklet  giving  full  details  of  the  Mutual  Bank. 


LAWRENCE  HEYWORTH.  President 

EDGAR    F.  OLSON,  2d  Vice-President  and  Cashier 
F.  H.  GANSBERGEN.  Secretary 

PIERRE  COLEMAN,  Assistant  Cashier 


itrwtnra 

ANDREW  McLEISH,  Carson,  Pirie,  Scott  &  Co.  FRED  L.  MANDEL,  SecV  and  Treas.  Mandel  Brothers 

W.  C.  THORNE,  Vice-Pres.  Montgomery  Ward  &  Co.  JAMES  O.  HEYWORTH.  Civil  Eng.  and  R.R.  Contractor 

F.  H.  GANSBERGEN,  Attorney  RICHMOND  DEAN.  Gen.  Mgr.  Pullman  Company 

GERALD  PIERCE  LAWRENCE  HEYWORTH,  President 


A-23 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


DEALERS    IN    AXiIi    CLASSES    OF 

I^JJ^IGIY^AI^    SECURITIES 

rNOtiXJDING  SCHOOL,  CITY,  COUNTY 

DRAINAGE  AND  IRRIGATION  DISTRICT  BONDS 


Hf: 


Capital  »650,000.00 


FIRST   NATIONAL  BANK   BUILDING,  CHICAGO 


Established  1893 


FRITZ  VON   FRANTZIUS 
BEN.  MARCUSE 


STOCKS 
BONDS 


112 


La   Salle   Street 

Chicago  Stock  Exchange  Building 


VON   FRANTZIUS  &  CO. 

Bankers  and  Brokers 


MEMBERS 

CHICAGO  STOCK  EXCHANGE 
CHICAGO  BOARD  OF  TRADE 


PRIVATE   WIRE   CONNECTIONS   WITH 


NEW  YORK  STOCK  EXCHANGE 
BOSTON  STOCK  EXCHANGE 


Wm.  D.  Kerfoot                                                        Geo.  Birkhoff.  Jr. 

Wm.  D.  Kerfoot  &  Co. 

Real  Estate 
Loan  and  Financial  Agents 

Special  Attention  Given  to  the 
Interests  of  Non-Residents 

85  Washington  Street,  Chicago 

N.  W.  Cor.  ■Washinjton  and  Dearborn  Sts.            Tel.  Central  2773 

EDGAR    M.  SNOW                                                       ROBERT  C.  BUTZOW 
MEMBERS    OF    THE    CHICAGO    REAL    ESTATE    BOARD 

ESTABLtSHED   1873 

Edgar  M.Snow  &  Co. 

101    Washinoton   Street,  Chicago 

General  Real  Estate  and  Mortgage  Brokers 

APPRAISERS    OF    REAL    ESTATE 
MONEY   TO    LOAN    in  any  amount  at  very  lowest  rates 

on  chicago  real  estate  security 

Mortgages  for  Sale,  Real  Estate  Bought.  Sold.  Leased  and 

managed  on  commission 

Telephones:  Central  608  and  5091  Automatic  8509 

BOSTON  correspondents:  John  Jeffries  &  Sons 

BAIRD  fk  WARNER 

RERL  ESTATE 

LOAN  AND  RENTING  AGENTS 

90    La  Salle   Street 
CHICAGO 

Edmund  A.  Cummings                                                  Edward  S.  Judd 
Charles  O.  Goss                   Robert  C.  Givins 
Established  iSbg 

E.  A.  Cummings   &   Co. 

GENERAL  REAL  ESTATE 
^    AND  LOAN  AGENTS    ^ 
APPRAISERS  taAUCTIONEERS 

Buy,  Sell  and  Manase  Property  on  Commission,  Collect  Rents  and 
Pay  Taxes,  Negotiate  Loans 

S.  W.  Cor.  Dearborn  and  Washington  Streets 

Telephones  Central  24  and  25                    CHICAGO 

A-24 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 

Municipal  Bonds 

Bought,  Sold  and   Appraised 


^  We  buy  Municipal  issues  direct  and  act  as  Fiscal  Agents  for 
Municipalities.  Correspondence  invited  from  Municipalities  concerning 
proposed  bond  issues. 

ALSO  DEAL  IN  GOVERNMENT,  RAILROAD 
AND  PUBLIC  SERVICE  CORPORATION  BONDS 
FOR  SAFE  INVESTMENT.        LIST  ON   REQUEST. 


N.  W.  HALSEY  <a  CO.,  Bankers 


NEW  YORK, 
49   Wall   St. 


PHILADELPHIA 
1429  Chestnut  St. 


CHICAGO 
1 52  Monroe  St. 


SAN   FRANCISCO 
413    Montgomery   St. 


FERTILE    LAMPS 


Adapted  to  Intensive  Gardening 

EspeciaUy   Suitable 
for  CELERY  raising 


Close  to  Market.      Good  Transportation. 

Soil  an  Alluvial  Deposit  and  Vegetable  Mold. 

Exceedingly  Fertile. 

Outrivaling  Kalamazoo  District. 

Tracts  of  Ten  Acres  or  More  for  Sale. 

Prices  on  Application. 


WRITER  FOR  ILLUSTRATED  BOOKLET 


Sliiocton  Cirarden  T><au(l  Co. 

SHIOCTON,  WISCONSIN 

OR 

F.  A.  BRI]>OK  &  €0. 

140  Dearborn  St..  Chicago,  III. 


S.A.KEAN<aCO. 

BANKERS 

132  La  Salle  Street    -    Chicago.  Illinois 


Municipal  Bonds 

Corporation  Bonds 

United  States  Land  Scrip 

(for  the  location  of  govchnmcnt  land) 


GOLD  BONDS 


f 


We  make  a  specially  of  high 
grade  irrigation  bonds.  They 
are  secure  and  profitable. 


Young   &    Hamilton 

IBankfra 

Marquette  Building,  Cfiicago 

Established  i88i 


A— 25 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Westermann 
Trader  and 
Company 


Manvick,  Mitchell  &  Co. 

CHICAGO 
189  La  Salle  Street 

Telephone  Central  3171 


JPUBLIC    ji^CCOUNTAJVTS 


(tliitLrUrth  ArroutitantH 
anh  AuhttorH 


ST.    LOUIS 

Chemical.  Buil,ding 


SALT  LAKE  CITY 
15  West  Second  South 


NEW  YORK,  79  Wall  Street 
PHILADELPHIA.  995  Drexel  Building 
PITTSBURG.  248  Fourth  Avenue 
MINNEAPOLIS.  760  Temple  Court 
WINNEPEG,    Canada,      19    Canadian 

Northern  Building 
LONDON,  England,  35  Walbrook.  E.  C. 


fl-  A.  Napieh 


Geo.   R.  Bowman 


ESTABLISHED  1856. 


Telcphoncs; 
Central  1242  Automatic  4222 


R.  A.  NAPIER  &  GO. 

INSURANCE   AGENTS 

ROOM  528, 

159  LaSalle  Street 
CHICAGO 


Royal  Insurance  Company  of  Liverpool 
National  Insurance  Company  of   Pennsylvania 
New  Jersey  Plate  Glass  Insurance  Company 

German  Insurance  Company  of  Indiana 


O.  B.  SWANSON   <a   CO. 


iFtr?   ilttBuraur? 


Rand,  McNally  &  Co. 

OHIOACK)   AND   NEW   YOHK 


^  The  Largest  and  Best  equipped 

plant  for  Printing  in  all  branches. 

^  Engraving  by  all  Processes.   .     . 

C[[  Electrotyping  smd  Binding.   .    . 


Room   544,    159   LaSalle    Street 
CHICAGO 

Telephone  Central  764 


RAND,  McNALLY  &   CO. 

CHICAGO  AND  NEW  YORK 


A-26 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


UNITED  STATES  CAST  IRON 
PIPE  &  FOUNDRY  CO. 


MANUFACTURERS  OF 


Cast  Iron  Pipe 

For  Water,   Gas,   Sewage,   Culverts,    Drains,   Etc. 

In  all  regular  sizes,  3-in.  to  84-in. 

SPECIAL  CASTINGS  FLANGED  PIPE  FLEXIBLE  JOINT  PIPE 

LARGE  CYLINDERS  HEAVY  CASTINGS 


ADDYSTON,  OHIO 
ANNISTON,  ALA. 
BESSEMER,  ALA. 
SCOTTDALE,  PA 


WORKS  LOCATED  AT 

BUFFALO,   N.  Y. 
BURLINGTON,  N.  J. 
CHATTANOOGA,  TENN. 


CLEVELAND  OHIO 
COLUMBUS,  OHIO 
LOUISVILLE,  KY. 
SUPERIOR,  WIS. 


General  Offices:  71  Broadway,  New  York 

Cable  Address,  Uscifipe,  New  York 

Eastern  Sales  Office;  71  Broadway,  New  York  Western  Sales  Offices:  638  Rookery,  217  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  III. 

Southern  Sales  Office:  Chamberlain  Bldg,. Chattanooga, Tenn.     Pacific  Coast  Sales  Office:  Monadnock  Bldg.,  San  Franciso,Cai, 
Philadelphia  Sales  Office;  Land  Title  Bldg.,  Philadelphia,  Pa,     Pittsburg  Sales  Office:  Murtland  BIdg.,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 


HOTEL   MAJESTIC 

ABSOLUTELY  FIREPROOF 


tfJI  Direct  connection   with  Chicago  Commercial    Associabon  from 
oi   7th  floor.     200  rooms;  every  room  an  outside  room, 

RATES,  $1.50  per  Day  and  Vp 

#]I  Every  room  contains  Ions  distance  and  local  telephone.       For 
M  reservations  address 

FRANK  HALL,  Manager 

Telephone  Harrison  3200 

Quincy  St.,  betv\'een  State  (St  Dearborn 
CHICAGO.  ILLINOIS 


NEW  HOTEL 
BREYOORT 


ABSOL UTELY 
FIRE  PR  OOF 

^  Most  Modern 
Hotel   in   Chicago. 

^  In  the  center  of 
the  city  inside  "  the 
loop"  and  in  the 
heart  of  the  theatre 
district. 

^  One  minute  from 
the  City  Hall  and 
New  County  Build- 
ing. 

Arthur  M.  Grant 

Manager 


A.  D.  Hannah  <V  D.  Hogg,  Owners 


A— 27 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


Delegates  to  the  Eleventh  Annual  Convention 


&SP 


your  attention  is  respectfully  called  to  the  letters 
presented,  and  read  at  this  convention,  extending 


e^ 


AN      INVITATION      TO      VISIT      LOS  ANGELES 


..I Hi.,.,:,,.  iSsrar 


^ 


juVml 


THE    BROADWAY   DEPARTMENT    STORE-FOURTH    AND    BROADWAY 

LOS   ANGELES.    CALIFORNIA 

BUSIEST   AND    FASTEST    GROWING    STORE   IN    THE   WEST. 


LOS    ANGELES    OSTRICH    FARM 


Opposite  East  Lake  Park,  which  is 
one  of  the  beauty  spots  in  the  City 
of  Los  Angeles. 

/^f 'he  Los  Angeles  Ostrich  Farm 
\f\j  exemplifies  the  Ostrich  Feather 
industry  inasmuch  as  it  grows 
the  Feathers,  Manufactures  them  into 
the  retail  product  and  sells  them  di- 
rect to  the  consumer. 

Beautiful  Salesrooms  are  main- 
tained at  the  Farm  and  at  324  South 
Broadwaj-,  Los  Angeles. 

An  attractive  Mail  Order  Catalog, 
containing  pictorial  descriptions  of 
the  Farm  and  our  product,  can  be  had 
for  the  asking. 

We  prepare  and  sell  the  finest 
and  best  Ostrich  Goods  shown  any- 
where in  America. 

Our  prices  do  not  include  the  iift\- 
per  cent  duty,  or  retail  profit — every- 
thing is  sold  at  Manufacturers  prices. 

Anyone  desiring  an  exquisite 
Plume  or  magnificent  Boa  at  a  saving 
of  one-third  or  more  should  corre- 
spond with  us. 

ADDRESS : 

lOS  ANGELES  OSTRICH  FARM 
3613  Mission  Road  •  Los  Angeles,  California. 


A— 28 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


UllfORNIA, 
lOS  ANGEIES. 

/n  the  Land 
of  Sunshine 

HARVARD 
SCHOOL 

FOR  BOYS  (Military) 

Fits  for  college  and  business.  Fine  Buildinsrs. 
Fourteen  Masters.  Fully  equipped  Chemical  and 
Physical  I^aboratories.  Ten-acre  Campus  laid 
out  for  all  kinds  of  Athletic  sports.  Cement 
Tennis  CourLs.  Quarter  Mile  Track.  Two  Gym- 
nasiums. Gallery  Track.  Shower  Baths.  Indoor 
Rifle  Range. 

iStnd  for  Ulatlraled  Catalogut.) 

Prim.  GRENVILLE  C.    EMERY,  Litt.  D., 

l,ate  Master  in  the  Boston  l,atin  School. 

Com.  Col.  RICHARD  P.  KELLY,   Ph.  B., 

Cornell  University. 


opulation   1910 

LOS  mm 

250,000 
350,000 

Buy  REAL  ESTATE  There 


W.  M.  GARLAND  &  CO. 

324  HmTlNGTON  BLDG. 
LOS  ANGELES     -     -     CALIFORNIA 


The  Bristol  Cafe 

N.  E.  COR.  FOURTH  AND  SPRING  ST.,  LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 

Finest  Cafe  in  the  West.         Seating  Capacity  1200 


BOTH 
UNDER  THE 

SAME 
MANAGE- 
MENT 


SCHNEIDER 

& 

FIEBER 

Proprietors 


THE    BRISTOL   PIER    CAFE 

HOLLISTER    AVENUE-SANTA    MONICA,    CAL. 

Is  the  Largest  Cafe  on  Any  Beacli  built  1000  feet  out  in  the  Ocean. 


A— 29 


THE  BOOK   OF  AMERICAN   MUNICIPALITIES 


THE    ANGELUS 

UOS  AN6EL.es,  cal.. 


One  of  the  most  elegantly  and  luxuriously 

equipped  Hotels  in  the  United  States 

Every    Room    an    outside   Room 

Every  Bath  an    outside   Bath 

L.OOMIS     BROTHERS,     PROPRIETORS 


Try  a  Bottle  of 


TlPO 

CHIANTI 


CALIFORNIA'S 
CHOICEST 
PRODUCT 

Produced  by  the 

ITALIAN -SWISS 
COLONY 


MAIN    OFFICES 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL.    -    Battery  and  Greenwich  Sts. 

BRANCH 

NEW  YORK,  N.  Y.,  N.  E.  Cor.  W.  Ilth  and  Washington  Sts, 


C.  f.  A.  LAST  CO. 


CAI.IFORNIA. 


Wine  Merchants 


2  cases  (12  bottles  each)  quarts,  Select  assorted 
wines  shipped  to  any  part  of  the  U.  S.  for 
S;9.00,  Freight  Prepaid. 

2  cases  (12  bottles  each)  quarts.  Special  assor- 
ted wines,  shipped  to  any  part  of  the  U. 
S.  for  $11.00,  Freight  Prepaid. 

2  cases  (12  bottles  each)  quarts,  Extra  assorted 
wines,  shipped  to  any  part  of  the  U.  S.  for 
$13.00,  Freight  Prepaid. 

2  cases  pints  (24  bottles  to  the  case)  50c  per 
case  additional,  Freight  Prepaid. 

All  Wines  guaranteed  to  be  strictly  PURE  and 
especially  selected. 


129  AND    131    NORTH   MAIN   STREET 
LOS    ANGELES,    CALIFORNIA 


ITALIAN  VIN[YARD  COMPANY 

MAIN    OFFICES, 
SALESROOMS   AND  WINERIES 

1234  TO  1248  Palmetto  Street 

LOS  ANGELES,  CAL. 


CALIFORNIA  WINES 
AND   BRANDIES 

Owners  of  the  LARGEST  VINEYARD 

in  the  United  States. 

3,500    ACRES 

At  South  Cucamonga,  San  Bernardino  County, 

California,   Planted  in    the  Finest 

Varieties  of  Wine  Grapes. 


NEW   YORK    BRANCH 

OFFICE    AND    WINE    VAULTS 

202-204  CENTRE  STREET  and  213-215  HESTER  STREET 


A— 30 


THE   BOOK    OF   AMERICAN    MUNICIPALITIES 


OUR  ATTITUDE  TOWARD  THE  PUBLIC 


ft 


GOOD  SERVICE,  SQUARE  DEALING, 
COURTEOUS  TREATMENT." 


In  Southern   California  The    "League" 
Will  Find  The    Result    Oe   Our    Policy. 


COME  TO  LOS  ANGELES  GENTLEMEN. 


THE  EDISON  ELECTRIC  COMPANY 


LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA 


Los  Angeles  Pacific  Co. 

ELECTRIC     LINES 

400  PASSENGER  TRAINS  4^0 

Cars  from  Fourth  and  Hill  Street  Station  Every  Few  Minates 


TO  CALIFORNIA 


Reaching 
Santa  Monica 
Ocean  Park 
Venice 

Playa  del  Rey 
Maniiattan 
tlermosa 
Redondo 

Don't 
Fail  to 
Visit 

WRITE 

F  A.  Short,  G. 


"AlllGATOR  FARM" 
"WHITE  CITY" 
"VENICE" 


ROUND  TRIP 

los  mim 

TO  ANY 

BEACH  POINT 

50c. 

SYSTEM 

TRIP 

SOc 

Largest 

Outside 

of  Florida 


FOR   ILLUSTRATED  BOOKLET 
F.   &  P.  A.,  Los  Angeles.    California 


FOUR  OVERLAND  ROUTES 

Via  New  Orleans,  El  Paso,  Ogden 
or  Portland. 

The  GOLDEN  STATE  LIM- 
ITED ami  OVERLAND  LIM- 
ITED, two  of  the  finest 
trains  over  any  road. 
Through  every  day  be- 
tween Chicago  and  Cali- 
fornia in  three  days. 

SUNSET  LIMITED,  via  New 

Orleans  to  Los   Angeles 
and  San  Francisco. 

Where  you  are  out  of  doors  all  day  amid 
ripening  fruits  and  budding  flowers. 

AGENTS  IN  ALL  THE  LARGER  GTIES 

T.  A.  GRAHAM, 

Asst.  Gen.  Freight  and  Pass,  Agt 

Los  Angeles  Office,  600  South  Spring  Street 
SOUTHERN  PACIFIC 


A-31 


THJi    iJUOK    UF    AMKKiUAN    MUNlCiFAl^lTlKSS 


,f 


1 


U.  S.  MAIL  TELEGRAPH  SERVICE 


The  Pride  of  Los  Angeles  is 

HER  GREAT  ELECTRIC  RAILWAY  SYSTEMS 


800  MILES  OF  SPLENDID  ROAD 
EMBRACED   IN  THE  LINES   OF 


The  Pacific  Electric  Railway 

The  Los  Angeles  Inter-Urban  Railway 

The  Los  Angeles  Railway 

The  Los  Angeles  and  Redondo  Railway 


Reaching  from  Near  the  Summit  of  Mt.  Lowe  to  the 

Great  Port  of  San  Pedro  and  a  Dozen  of 

the  Splendid  Beach  Resorts  of 

Southern  California 


And    Making   Accessible    All    the    Orange    and   Vine 

Clad  Valleys   and  Thrifty   Towns   within  a 

Radius  of  Forty  Miles  as  well 

as  forming  a 

Model  City-System  of  Urban  Communication. 

WELLS  FARGO  EXPRESS  FREIGHT  SERVICE 


A-32 


ALEXANDER  POTTER,  C.  E. 

Hydraulic  Engineer  and  Sanitary  Expert 

143  Uberty  Street,  NEW  YORK  CITY 

SEWERAGE  and  SEWAGE  DISPOSAL         WATER  SUPPLY  and  PURIFICATION 

WATER  and  ELECTRIC  POWER 

Valuations  of  Existing    Plants   Where   MUNICIPAL   OWNERSHIP   Is   Contemplated 
Expert  Testimony        :        Plans  and  Estimates        :        Superintendence 


— 



— 1 

Come  to 
Oakland 

California 

FRANK  K.  MOTT                                                 A.  L.  HANNAFORD 
PresidcDt                                                                                       Secretary 

FRANK  K.  MOl  1   CO. 

SUCrPASORS  TO  BREED  &  BANCROFT 

REAL  ESTATE 

AGENTS  and  DEALERS 
1060  BROADWAY,                    OAKLAND.  CALIFORNIA 

Population  has 

Nearly 

Trebled 

in  the 

Ust  5  Years 

Climate 
Unsurpassed 

15  Miles 
of  Water  Front 

Write 
For  Booklet 

1 



— 1 

"IK^gSnuteiltm" 

22nd  ^  anil  iBrnaiiuiag 


1Ettra)iratt  Plan 


(Le.it  a  la  Olartr 


(grtllr         ::         #intng  %npma 

^rinatr  iTrlrtiltanro 
CHomtirraaeb  Air  dUattittg  plant 


N.  &.  fHuUan,  fUanagrr 
JTormcrlg  Asstatant  ^gr.,  palace  l^otrl,  &.  "S. 


QIaltfnrma 


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The  Largest  Packers  of  Fruits  and 
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San   Francisco,    California 

Temporary  General  Offices 
436  Sansome  Street 


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DEC    -i  ■  "'•■«  94 


DEC    5  ,m68  94 


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